BENGALURU: The lockdown and work from home option have literally been “productive” for some couples who were struggling to conceive for the past five to six years or were undergoing In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatments. Fertility experts in the city claim that nearly 30% of their clients have conceived naturally during the lockdown and work from home period.
“There is definitely good news. We have had many of our couples who had planned for assisted reproduction techniques having conceived spontaneously,” said Dr Pallavi A Rao of S DAAC registered sperm bank (ART bank) in the state.
Attributing the possible reasons to the proximity between the couples, change in time zones for couples working in the US and the UK shifts, lifestyle modifications, reduction in travelling during the lockdown and ‘work from home’ options, Dr Soumya Sangamesh, an infertility specialist at BGS Gleeagles Global Hospital, said, “Some of them who lost track or postponed treatment for fertility issues have conceived. This may be due to reduced mental stress or spending more time together and also, we would have put them on some treatment which would have improved their sperm counts or egg quality, or better uterine micro-environment which are favourable for pregnancy.”
Meanwhile, Dr Anu Kottur, Faciltiy Director, Milann Fertility and Birthing Centre, said, “There have been instances where 25% of couples who had come for IVF treatment to our centre had conceived naturally during the lockdown.”
The gynaecologists say that the biological clock for many of these couples tuned for good during their ‘work from home ‘ days. Expressing joy over conceiving after trying the IVF method twice and being married for almost eight years, Swathi Ashish, a software engineer by profession told TNIE, “It was like a miracle for us. My husband lost weight and since he could not meet his friends, the regular parties were avoided. I didn’t have to travel all the way to Electronics City. All these, I think came together to help me conceive naturally.”