HYDERABAD: At least, six women are in the family way after taking treatment for infertility at the Fertility Centre at Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad.
One of the pregnant women is a 24-year-old from Jadcherla who had consulted gynaecologists on the day the clinic was inaugurated. Another beneficiary is the daughter of a staff member at the clinic. It is not just the case of women of Telangana. One woman from Raichur in Karnataka, too, has benefited from treatment at the clinic.
From the day the doors of the clinic were opened, at least 35 women have visited it for check-up as out-patients every day. Investigations such as Follicular Study, Dilation and Curettage and other procedures are taken up before and during treatment.
"Besides women of Telangana, those from Kurnool, Kadapa and other places in Andhra Pradesh, and Raichur and Bidar in Karnataka too opted for infertility treatment. The medical treatment for ovulation induction, that was provided at the Fertility Clinic, has helped about half a dozen women to become pregnant. Drugs for the treatment are provided free of cost by the government," said Dr Anupama Hari, head of the gynaecology department of the hospital.
Around six months before the centre was inaugurated, a raid had been conducted on an infertility treatment centre in Banjara Hills which brought to light the high costs involved in availing the treatment. For instance, intrauterine insemination (IUI) costs between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 3 lakh. By setting up fertility centres at government hospitals, the state health department wants to save people from shelling out lakhs of rupees on treatment of infertility.
During the clinic's launch on January 25, officials said that similar centres would be inaugurated at other government hospitals including Modern Government Maternity Hospital at Petlaburj in the city.
IUI procedure yet to be introduced
Though officials said at the time of the fertility clinic's launch that Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) would be provided, it is not available yet to patients. Currently, gynaecologists are giving medicines for ovulation induction which is one form of treatment. Doctors say that if IUI too is offered, the rate of success will increase. It is learnt that while the needed equipment is available, some more resources are required to offer IUI treatment. When contacted, deputy superintendent of the hospital Dr Narsing Rao Netha said they needed some more time to get the requisite resources.