Wife’s love wins, sperm of man facing Covid death frozen in Vadodara hospital

VADODARA: Sperms of a 29-year-old man who is fighting a losing battle against coronavirus have been collected and preserved at a city-based hospital following orders of the Gujarat high court (HC).
The wife of the patient who is on life support system, had moved HC on Monday evening pleading that sperms of her husband be preserved so that she can conceive through IVF if her husband does not recover from Covid-19.
The newly wed had to move court as the pending Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill stipulates that no man’s sperm can be obtained without his consent. The hospital management had insisted on a court order in the absence of consent.
After hearing the plea, HC on Tuesday had directed Vadodara-based Sterling Hospital to preserve the sperms as sought by his wife.
The hospital had initially declined her request because the patient is in no condition to give consent. He is unconscious and on life support after suffering multiple organ failures.
“We received the court order at around 5.10 pm. As per the procedure, we counselled the wife and the parents. The testicular sperm extraction (TESE) was started at around 8 pm and the surgical procedure ended at around 8.30 pm. The sperms have been extracted and preserved in the lab,” said Anil Nambiar, zonal director of Sterling Hospitals.
“We are happy that the procedure has been successful. Now, the family and doctor's priority is the survival of the patient. The extracted sperms can be preserved for long,” he said.
The family through advocate Nilay Patel had sought directions to the medical expert concerned to collect and store the sperms according to medical advice.
The lawyer requested the court to hear the case urgently and Justice Ashutosh Shastri had agreed. The patient was admitted on May 10 and the doctors have conveyed to the family that he may not survive.
The court has, however, not granted permission to proceed with artificial insemination till further orders. The court is likely to hear the case again on Thursday.