Fertility clinic at civic hospital in Mumbai brings ray of hope for poor couples desiring children

A fertility clinic at a civic hospital in Mumbai has emerged as a ray of hope for couples from lower income groups who desire to have children as it provides treatment for infertility at low costs officials said reported news agency PTIThe fertility clinic at civic hospital in Mumbai started functioning in October last year at the civicrun Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital and Medical College also known as Sion hospital reported PTIDr Archana Bhosale associate professor at the hospitals gynaecology department and head of the fertility clinic told PTI that 155 women mostly from the lower income groups are undergoing treatment at the facility and 23 of them have already conceivedThe Fertility clinic at civic hospital in Mumbai currently offers assisted reproductive technologies ART level1 fertility treatments including ovulation induction intrauterine insemination IUI fertility medicines and cycle monitoring she said reported PTIDr Bhosale said the ART level1 treatments cost Rs 30000 to 60000 per cycle at private hospitals but they conduct the entire treatment at a cost of just Rs 2500 which also includes providing medicines reported PTIA 25yearold woman from Kharghar in neighbouring Navi Mumbai shared her success story saying after being diagnosed with PCOD polycystic ovarian disease she sought treatment at the clinic reported PTIThe intervention proved successful within a few months and she is now in her sixth month of pregnancyI faced irregular periods and infertility within 23 months of marriage The sonography at a local hospital diagnosed PCOD which made me very tense The treatment at the Sion hospital brought happiness into my life she said reported PTIDr Bhosale and her team run the clinic in coordination with the andrology department that helps in understanding fertility related issues of male partners of the women undergoing treatment at the clinicThe fertility clinic is equipped with the required machinery including an ultrasound machine that helps them to determine the precise timing for processes like IUI thus enhancing the chances of success said doctors working at the facility reported PTIAccording to them depending upon various factors such as age menstrual cycle and other factors some patients require to go through 3 to 6 cycles and as a result the treatment cost goes up to lakhs which is very high for the lower income group couples reported PTIDr Neha Kamath who is part of Dr Bhosales team said women from poor family backgrounds residing in Dharavi slum colony Govandi Mankhurd and other parts of Mumbai come for treatment at the fertility clinic reported PTIAnother team member Dr Shrutika Makde said a patient had an issue pertaining to one of the two tubes of uterus due to which she was unable to conceiveWhen we confirmed to her that she had conceived she started crying Dr Makde said reported PTIDr Bhosale said they also plan to offer more advanced ART procedures specifically those that fall under level2According to the doctors when the clinic was opened they put up banners on the hospital campus but now they do not need any advertising as couples struggling with pregnancyrelated issues have been approaching the facility due to the wordofmouth publicity reported PTISion hospital dean Dr Mohan Joshi said they are planning to start the ART level 2 treatment soon and have received a donation of Rs 25 crore from a social organisation for the procurement of machinery including embryo storage facility reported PTIHe said they have identified a place on 60 Feet Road in Dharavi for setting up the clinic where ART2 treatment will be provided reported PTINew machines are being put up We will reach the final destination of IVF in vitro fertilisation soon It will be at a negligible cost For the poor people we always have donors Dr Joshi said reported PTIWith inputs from PTI