How has India Developed So Far in IVF Treatment?

Every couple wants to cherish the parenthood journey once in their lifetime. However, unlike all things, becoming parents also comes with many obstacles; one of the main obstacles faced by both men and women is infertility. To overcome this, In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), an advanced technique, emerged as a beacon of hope for couples struggling with infertility.

However, alongside the emotional and physical aspects, the financial part is also one of the main concerns of the couples. Due to its best healthcare system, India emerged as the best center for high-quality IVF treatments at an affordable cost. 

This blog aims to give a comprehensive guide to understanding the IVF cost in India and the factors that influence the cost, which may help prospective couples to make the right decision.

What is IVF?

IVF (Invitro fertilization) is a type of treatment for infertility where the eggs of the women and sperm of the men are fertilized outside the human body in a lab. It is a complex procedure that involves retrieving the eggs from the ovaries and manually combining them with sperm in the lab for fertilization.

After fertilization, once it becomes an embryo (fertilized egg) placed in the uterus for implantation. After the implantation, pregnancy occurs, which can be tested by the pregnancy test.

It is a complicated set of techniques designed to aid in conceiving, assist with fertility, or prevent genetic issues.

Reasons for the Need for IVF:

• Damage and blockage to the fallopian tubes: These conditions may make it challenging for an egg in women to become fertilized or for an embryo to go to the uterus.
• Ovulation disorder: Fewer eggs, absent or infrequent ovulation also is the reason for infertility.
• Uterine Fibroids: Fibroids are benign tumors that grow in the uterus. They are typical for women in their 30s and 40s. Fibroids may hamper the proper implantation of the fertilized egg.
• Previous tubal sterilization or removal:  If someone wishes to conceive after tubal ligation, IVF may be an alternative to tubal ligation reversal surgery.
• Impaired sperm production or function: It may be challenging for sperm to fertilize an egg for various reasons, including decreased sperm concentration, poor sperm motility, aberrant sperm size, and irregular sperm shape. IVF is the best solution in this situation.
• A genetic disorder: IVF is the best option to conceive children if any partners risk passing the genetic disorder. In the IVF procedure, preimplantation genetic testing results in the development of embryos that do not contain identified risks.

How Successful is IVF in India?

The success rate of IVF depends on the various factors as given below:

• Age of the women: As women grow older, the chances of pregnancy decrease. Therefore, when compared to success rates for women over 40, younger women experience better success rates.
• Type of Infertility: Ovarian infertility can take many forms, such as malfunction, a second infertility cause, abdominal abnormalities, fibroid knots, and many more. Treatment for infertility takes very varied amounts of time and has diverse success rates.
• Previous Failed IVF and Miscarriages: If anyone has an abortion and miscarriage, the success rates may change. 
• Surrounding Environments: If a person is alcoholic or smokes frequently, the IVF procedure may or may not be successful. Also, excess weight and obesity can be expected to become pregnant with IVF.
• The Expertise of Doctors: One of the most challenging steps is to choose the best fertility clinic. The doctor’s skill and experience may be the reason for successful IVF treatment.

The success rate of IVF in India is typically between 50 and 60 percent and depends on various factors. It can be up to 65% if a woman is under the age of 35 and her infertility is mild. The data can be compared to wealthy nations, indicating that India’s average IVF rate is 55%. Due to the skilled doctors, qualified IVF specialists, and experienced staff at the leading IVF center, success rates might reach 80%. 

What are the Factors that Affects the Cost of IVF?

The cost of any treatment in a country depends on various factors. These factors determine the cost of the treatment, which results in varying for every individual according to their needs and requirements. Like others, IVF cost in India depends on various factors. Some of the factors are:

• Location: IVF costs vary significantly based on your chosen city and clinic. Metropolitan areas tend to have higher costs compared to smaller towns.
• Clinic Reputation and Success Rates: Clinics with higher success rates might charge more due to their expertise and advanced technology.
• Treatment Plan Complexity: The specific treatment plan the doctor prescribes, including procedures like ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) or PGS (Preimplantation Genetic Screening), can impact the overall cost.
• Number of Cycles: IVF success is only sometimes achieved in the first attempt. Many couples need multiple cycles, and each cycle incurs additional costs.
• Medications: Medications for ovarian stimulation, hormone support, and other related treatments can contribute significantly to the overall expenses.
• Additional Procedures: Procedures like embryo freezing, sperm retrieval, or embryo biopsy can add to the total cost.
• Diagnostic Tests: Before beginning IVF, couples may need to undergo various diagnostic tests to assess fertility issues, which can also impact costs.

What is the Average Cost of IVF in India?

IVF is a new procedure in India launched about 47 years ago. Although with all the infrastructure and technology required for this, it is not the cheapest procedure. It is one of the most effective methods assisted by specialists for reproduction.

The IVF cost for every person varies, depending upon their needs and requirements.

However, the IVF cost in India for one cycle is between INR 10000 to INR 250000. 

Compared to other countries, the cost of IVF in India is quite affordable. The cost and even the quality of IVF treatment in India is also high. India is on par with other countries as India uses the latest technology and equipment and has highly qualified doctors and staff.

Best Doctors for IVF In India:

IVF is a complex procedure with various steps that should be done in a suitable environment. Skilled and experienced medical experts must do these complex procedures to avoid failures.

India has experienced and highly skilled IVF specialists. Some of the IVF specialists are:

Dr. Bindu Garg:

• Dr. Bindu Garg is one the best IVF specialists in India with an experience of more than 30 years.
• She aims to provide every patient with the best infertility treatment through IVF with a success rate.
• Many accolades have acknowledged her, including the Mahatma Gandhi Samman held at the House of Lords, London, Swastha Bharat Samman, India News Award for her contribution to infertility services, and more. 

Dr. Manish Banker:

• Dr. Manish Banker is a well-renowned and experienced IVF specialist in India.
• He has been in this field for over 32 years and has successfully treated over 15,000 infertility cases nationwide.
• Dr. Manish is the regional representative of the International Committee for Monitoring ART, a WHO affiliate.

Dr. Sulbha Arora:

• Dr. Sulbha Arora is a well-experienced Gynecologist and IVF specialist in India.
• She has been in this field for more than 20 years.
• Her expertise lies in fertility medicine, third-party reproduction, and fertility preservation.

Dr. Nutan Aggarwal:

• Dr. Nutan Aggarwal is well known and experienced Infertility Specialist in India with an experience of more than 37 years.
• Her expertise includes managing recurrent pregnancy losses, PCOS, abnormal uterine bleeding, menopause, ovarian tumors, laparoscopic surgeries, infertility, IVF, and vaginal plastic surgeries.
• The success rate of IVF by Nutan Aggarwal till now is 70%, 91% in surrogacy, and 37% in IUI.

Dr. Shakti Bhan Khanna:

• Dr. Shakti Bhan Khanna is an eminent and highly experienced Gynecologist and IVF Specialist with an experience of more than 50 years.
• She has expertise in various fields of Gynecology like Gynae-oncology, Gynae endocrinology, infertility and high-risk pregnancies, and pelvic reconstructive surgery.
• She has been acknowledged with many accolades for her successful work in this field.

IVF is the most complex and convenient procedure recommended to the infertile couple by specialists. It came as a beacon of hope in the life of the infertile couple, but the cost can be the major barrier to treatment for many people.

However, compared to other countries, IVF costs in India are affordable. The services given by the hospitals and specialists for the treatment have shown a greater success rate so far. India has many options of skilled medical experts and well-structured clinics for IVF, which help the couple to choose among the best.