In a society where motherhood is often defined by a fixed sequence of events, including marriage and childbirth within a specific age range, science once again gifted society the alternate path through ‘in vitro fertilisation’ (IVF), therefore empowering women to embrace motherhood later in life.

This year’s Children’s Day became a celebration of the gift of creating life and the joy of parenthood by individuals and families at an event held by the Abha Surgy Centre on 14 November, at a city hotel. The Abha Surgy Centre, a leading IVF and gynaecology centre of Eastern India, celebrated its 30th anniversary, marking its three decades. To mark this significant milestone, India Post released a ‘Special Cover with My Stamp’. The release was followed by an immersive talk show on ‘Motherhood and IVF: 46 Years of its Journey in India’, with distinguished speakers from diverse fields.

The official ‘Special Cover and My Stamp’ release ceremony was graced by Ashok Kumar, the postmaster general, Kolkata region; Basudeb Mukherjee, the practising senior-most gynaecologist, associated with Ankuran IVF Clinic, Woodlands Hospital and Manipal Hospital; along with Dr Bani Kumar Mitra, the founder and chief consultant, Abha Surgy Centre; and Dr Konkon Das Mitra, the director and chief embryologist, Abha Surgy Centre.

“It gives us profound happiness to realise that we have been successful for three decades in ensuring the fulfilment of motherhood, to women who may not be able to attain it through the natural process, by not only delivering good health but also at an affordable cost. Abha Surgy Centre remains a co-partner in their journey from pre-teen to post-menopause, a trusted ally they can turn to whenever they wish”, said Dr Bani Kumar Mitra.

On asking about the LGBTQ+ community, he said to The Statesman, “As doctors, we do not encourage the LGBTQ+ community, including those who have undergone sexual reassignment surgery, to undergo IVF as in the future there may be potential complications that are difficult to handle. The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, in India, does not specify whether the aforementioned group is eligible or ineligible for IVF, so we cannot proceed until there is clarification on this matter, especially since the government of India has many restrictions related to the law”.

He added more, “Both in IVF and in normal pregnancy, sex determination is forbidden both by law and us, the doctors. However, embryo selection can be done only when individuals face a genetic disorder. Therefore, we choose a healthy embryo without the harmful chromosomes. In terms of lifestyle, both IVF and natural pregnancies are similar, although we advise being more cautious with IVF due to the increased risk of complications associated with the procedure.”

“The societal attitudes revolving around infertility in India and adjoining nations remain huge even today. We, at Abha Surgy Centre, are working consistently to ease the social and emotional stress of many childless couples through IVF and ARTs”, said Dr Konkon Das Mitra.

The talk show featured notable speakers, including previously mentioned, Dr Bani Kumar Mitra; Dr Bhaskar Pal, the president of FOGSI and senior consultant gynaecologist, Apollo Multispeciality Hospital; Sudeshna Roy, renowned filmmaker and actor; Debarati Mukhopadhyay, distinguished author; and Anindita Sarbadhicari, eminent film and theatre director. The engrossing and immersive talk show was moderated by Oindrilla Dutt, the columnist and cultural and folk art curator, where the speakers shared insights on the profound impact of IVF in India since 1978, highlighting its transformative role in helping families overcome infertility challenges. IVF has grown into a beacon of hope for couples, and with continued innovations, it promises an even brighter future for families across the nation.

Anindita Sarbadhicari also shared her experiences as a single mother and becoming one through IVF with The Statesman. She said, “Back in 2018, there was this unnecessary norm of establishing a child’s identity as solely determined by their father’s name. I encountered this challenge when enrolling my son in certain schools became difficult when they wanted proof of not marrying and being a single mother. However, I am grateful to the South City International School for its progressive approach. They admitted my son without adhering to this outdated social custom”.

“Furthermore, just as women are engorged for IVF, we must also encourage men to consider sperm donation, giving an opportunity for men to empower women like me who desire motherhood”, she added later.