In Ranchi, a couple named Ramesh and Neelam, both in their late thirties, faced a common struggle. They married in 2023 and eagerly started planning a family. However, Neelam found it difficult to conceive naturally due to their advancing age.
After a year of unsuccessful attempts, they consulted a fertility specialist in the city. Tests showed Neelam had a low egg count, a condition known as diminished ovarian reserve. This significantly reduced her chances of getting pregnant without medical help.
The specialist recommended in-vitro fertilisation, or IVF. This assisted reproductive technology involves fertilising eggs with sperm in a lab before implanting the embryo in the uterus. The couple decided to proceed with the treatment.
"We opted for IVF, and it changed our lives forever," they shared. Today, they are proud parents of a one-and-a-half-year-old child, celebrating a joyful outcome from their journey.
Another Story of Hope and Healing
Another Ranchi couple, Satish and Payel, experienced profound grief when their twenty-year-old son Suraj died in a road accident in 2023. Devastated by the loss of their only child, they longed to have another baby to help cope with their sorrow.
Married for two decades, conceiving naturally seemed impossible due to their age. They turned to a fertility clinic in 2024 and chose IVF treatment. The procedure succeeded, blessing them with twin babies and opening a new chapter in their lives.
Growing Awareness and Acceptance
Since Jharkhand welcomed its first IVF baby over twenty years ago, fertility centres have spread across the state. Once shrouded in taboo, fertility treatments are now entering the mainstream.
Changing lifestyles, evolving aspirations, and fading social stigmas drive this shift. Dr. Rajnarayan Sahu, director and chief embryologist of Ankuram IVF, explains the transformation.
"In traditional societies, infertility often carried moral or cultural blame, with women facing most of the pressure," he said. "In Jharkhand, childlessness once meant stigma and social strain. Now, growing awareness, better education, and exposure to medical science are rewriting this narrative."
Rising Infertility Rates
The increasing embrace of IVF highlights a concerning trend: infertility rates are climbing among couples of all ages. Multiple factors contribute to this rise.
Lifestyle changes play a big role. More people are drinking and smoking, and pollution levels are increasing. These habits affect reproductive health for both men and women.
Experts point to socio-economic and biological reasons for the growing demand for IVF. Delayed marriages are a key factor. As young people focus on education, careers, and financial security, they marry later.
Couples often start trying for children at an older age when fertility naturally declines. Dr. Sahu notes that infertility issues affect men and women equally, each bearing about fifty percent of the responsibility.
"Everyone's biological clock ticks, but women feel the impact more," he explained. "Female fertility peaks early, often by the late teens. By the thirties, natural conception becomes harder. Junk food, pesticide-laden produce, drinking, and smoking reduce sperm production in men and egg quality in women, pushing couples toward IVF."
For men, working in hot environments or wearing tight trousers can also harm sexual health, adding to fertility challenges.
Medical Insights from Jharkhand
Dr. Rupashree Purushottam, a Ranchi-based fertility expert and member of the Indian Fertility Society, provides local context. She says infertility in Jharkhand affects four to ten percent of couples, regardless of age.
"Delayed marriage is one reason for IVF adoption, but medical disorders like diabetes, thyroid issues, and hypertension also play a part," she stated. "These conditions are common across age groups, and their medications often impact fertility."
Dr. Purushottam estimates that four to ten out of every hundred couples in Jharkhand need IVF because they cannot conceive naturally. She highlights a specific concern: men working in the coal sector face higher infertility rates.
"Temperatures in these areas are elevated due to coal mines and industries," she noted. "This heat exposure has emerged as a significant factor in male infertility."
Financial and Emotional Challenges
While IVF offers hope, it comes with risks and costs. A Ranchi fertility expert, speaking anonymously, detailed the financial burden. Each IVF procedure costs between one and one-and-a-half lakh rupees, covering consumables and stimulation injections.
"After spending that much, the procedure might still fail," the expert cautioned. "Success depends on the body's response, and there is always a twenty to thirty percent chance of failure. To make it more accessible, many clinics now offer EMI options for payments."
Despite these hurdles, IVF continues to provide a lifeline for couples dreaming of parenthood. Stories like those of Ramesh and Neelam or Satish and Payel underscore its transformative potential in Jharkhand.
