With Goa’s falling fertility rates and decreasing population, the IVF treatments offered around the State offer a ray of hope to couples who aren’t able to conceive naturally
“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” The famous six-word story, often attributed to Ernest Hemingway, carries a profound sense of loss, longing, and unfulfilled dreams. But in a world where science continues to push boundaries, many such stories are finding happier endings. One such breakthrough came on July 25, 1978, with the birth of Louise Joy Brown, the world’s first baby conceived through in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Her birth marked a turning point in reproductive medicine and gave hope to millions of couples who longed to become parents.
Since Louise Brown’s birth, assisted reproductive technologies have advanced rapidly, resulting in more than 12 million babies being born through IVF worldwide. In Goa, the free IVF programme at Goa Medical College has recorded a success rate of around 40 per cent and has helped deliver around seven to nine IVF babies. The state also has several private fertility clinics, although comprehensive data from these centres is not publicly available. Gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Kedar Padte debunked common myths surrounding IVF while explaining how the treatment has evolved over the years and why maintaining the Total Fertility Rate is increasingly important.
Separating myths from medical reality
He believes one has to be careful while counselling couples, as many believe IVF is a guaranteed way to conceive. “That is not true. It has only about a 40 to 50 per cent success rate. Secondly, many people feel IVF is very painful. It is not,” he says, adding that women do need to take injections for around 14 to 15 days before eggs are retrieved and fertilised. Despite the misconceptions, he says the response to IVF treatment in Goa has been encouraging. “In the last 25 to 26 years that I have been in this field, everything has definitely evolved. The response across the state, I would say, is good.”
Compared to many Western countries, IVF treatment in India remains relatively affordable. While treatment abroad may cost close to Rs 28 lakh, Dr Padte says that in smaller private clinics the cost generally ranges between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh, including medication, although expenses vary depending on the city, fertility centre and individual patient’s condition.
Technology makes IVF more effective
Medical science has transformed IVF considerably over the past two decades. Dr Padte points out that clinics earlier performed only fresh embryo transfers, whereas frozen embryo transfers are now routinely carried out. “There are indeed a lot of changes that have come. Earlier we were doing only fresh embryo transfers; we do frozen embryo transfers as well now,” he says. According to him, frozen embryos have a better success rate than a fresh embryo transfer. Another major advancement is Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT), which helps doctors identify embryos with normal genetic makeup before implantation. “Earlier, we transferred the available blastocyst and carried out tests during pregnancy to check if the baby was normal. Now we can know much earlier,” he explains. Additionally, he explains that fertility preservation is happening. “Young girls who are having low egg count and do not want to conceive or are not married are preserving their eggs,” he says. He explains that young women who have a low egg reserve and do not wish to conceive immediately, or are not yet married, are preserving their eggs for the future.
Declining fertility puts focus on awareness
Looking ahead, Dr Padte believes IVF will play an increasingly important role as fertility rates continue to decline. According to Dr Padte, a Total Fertility Rate of 2.1 is required for a population to replace itself in the long term. While India’s fertility rate is currently around 2.0, Goa’s is about 1.3, placing it well below the replacement level and raising concerns about the state’s declining population.
“There should be greater awareness among young couples that delaying parenthood can increase fertility-related difficulties and the risk of genetic abnormalities with age,” he says, adding, “If we do not maintain the replacement fertility rate, it will create further demographic challenges in the future.”
While IVF is not a guaranteed solution, it has transformed what was once considered impossible into a realistic possibility for countless families. As reproductive medicine continues to advance and Goa grapples with a declining fertility rate, improving awareness, accessibility and affordability of fertility treatment could help many more couples realise their dream of parenthood.
