Telangana to start fertility centres at government hospitals

To help people facing infertility concerns and who cannot afford Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) treatment, state government, in about a month’s time, would start infertility treatment

HYDERABAD: To help people facing infertility concerns and who cannot afford Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) treatment, state government, in about a month’s time, would start infertility treatment centres in government hospitals. The state’s Health and Family Welfare department is going to start the initiative at Gandhi Hospital and thereafter it might be started in other hospitals too. 

Telangana health minister C Laxma Reddy recently stated that infertility treatment centres will be set up at government centres soon. Officials too said that the health minister is keen on starting the centres. However, as of now, officials said they will not take up surrogacies, which is a form of ART and often used as last option. ART are a set of techniques to treat those facing infertility concerns.

Usually, people readily recognise In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) which is also known as test tube baby technique, and surrogacy. Apart from the two-which come under ART techniques- there are other types of ART techniques such as Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) (where a sperm is taken out and placed it in uterus), Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) and others. 

Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology department at Gandhi Hospital Dr Anupama Hari said they will start the fertility centres with IVF and IUI techniques. Also, only sperm from husbands will be taken for both the techniques and the procedure which involves taking donor sperm will not be practised as it needs a sperm bank too.  

Notably, in June, surrogacies and ART techniques on whole became topic of discussions after officials raided an infertility treatment clinic in Banjara Hills and found 47 surrogate mothers there. Post-raids, officials said monitoring infertility treatment centres is tough as ART (Regulation) Bill-2015 is yet to become an Act.

Situation now
Surrogacies will not be taken up, other ART methods such as In Vitro  Fertilisation, Intrauterine Insemination will be offered
IVF at private centre costs 
`1 to `3 lakh

Currently only infertility investigation is offered at Gandhi hospital
Infertile couples from distant rural areas currently visit Gandhi hospital OBG department for consultation

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com