Hyderabad: Covid takes a toll on couples waiting to be parents

HYDERABAD: The long-drawn lockdown, coupled with confusion over Covid-19 vaccination, has adversely impacted dozens of couples — both from India and overseas — waiting to head to Hyderabad for their fertility procedures. With still no clarity on just when travel restrictions and other bans will be lifted, these parents-to-be say that their anxiety levels are peaking, especially with many already having waited for years, to take home a baby.
Apart from in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment, scores of couples travel to the city every month to opt for surrogacy. It is among the leading cities in India to offer these procedures.
“We are both in our mid-40s and fear that our chances at parenthood might dry up, if we don’t start the process soon,” said Roshan K* from a small city in Karnataka. They couple started the fertility treatment five years ago. “We tried many cycles of IVF first. When that didn’t work, we finally settled for surrogacy last year and were hoping to be in Hyderabad for it. But thanks to Covid-19 and this lockdown, we don’t know when we can initiate it. It’s leading to a lot of stress among the two of us,” he said.
Across the border in Saudi Arabia, Malik M* and his wife are caught in a similar situation. “We are waiting since January to travel. But the airline has suspended services and we are not sure when it’ll resume. It is very frustrating,” he told TOI, hoping that operators start ferrying, at least those in need of medical treatment, in the next one week.
Doctors say that these delays, apart from taking a toll on the mental health of couples, have other medical pitfalls. “When patients are on birth control pills (usually prescribed before IVF) for very long, it can impact on their physiology,” said Dr Samit Sekhar, owner and director of Kiran Infertility Centre adding how dragging this “fertility preservation process” is turning out to be most difficult for women diagnosed with cancer.
That many doctors are advising patients to get vaccinated before going ahead with the IVF treatment, is also adding a few extra months to the process. “I came here from Indonesia last year, but my first cycle failed. Now, post the second wave my doctor has asked me to get the jab before starting the next cycle,” said M Shivani*.
(Names changed to protect the identity of patients and their family members)