Sion Hospital Starts Affordable IVF Procedures in Dharavi
Twenty-nine-year-old Fatima moved temporarily from Ayodhya to Mumbai to undergo infertility treatment at civic-run Sion Hospital, The Times of India reported.
Key Clinical Takeaways:
- Sion Hospital launched a nearly 3,000-square-foot IVF laboratory on the third floor of its Chhota Sion building in Dharavi.
- The treatment cycle at the civic facility costs about a third of the private-sector rate, which typically ranges from Rs 1.2 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh.
- Six women have begun the procedure, with doctors aiming to scale up to 20 IVF cycles a month.
A tuberculosis infection damaged Fatima’s fallopian tubes, leaving her with little chance of conceiving naturally. Private IVF care remained beyond her means, prompting her relocation.
“When my uncle in Dadar told me Sion Hospital was about to start IVF, I moved here,” Fatima told The Times of India.
The facility features incubators, processing labs, pick-up rooms, and a cryopreservation room to store eggs, sperm, and embryos. Funding for much of the technology came from Lions Club Juhu.
Although the lab was ready in January, operations started after a team led by Prof Dr Rahul Mayekar spent 10 months establishing protocols, fine-tuning equipment, and putting together a panel of embryologists to monitor samples daily.
“There were two reasons,” Dr Mayekar said of locating the clinic in Dharavi, one of the country’s largest slum settlements. “The first was affordability and the second was accessibility — having the facility right within the community.”
Dr Archana Bhonsale, nodal officer for IVF, said that the Dharavi outpost offered the required space. Main Sion Hospital records the city’s highest annual delivery counts but lacked space and is undergoing renovation.
“We also have space to expand later,” Sion Hospital dean Dr Pramod Ingale said.
Sion Hospital alumni Dr Ameet Patki and Dr Kedar Ganla trained the team in IVF techniques and day-to-day operations.
“The idea is to give back to our alma mater,” Dr Patki said. “IVF is emerging as a necessity today. Many couples are opting for parenthood later in life and may need help through assisted reproductive techniques.”
An estimated 15% of the population experiences some form of infertility, which Dr. Patki says is a public health concern. Success rates in well-equipped IVF laboratories are close to 40% these days, he added.
Gargi, a 42-year-old Kalyan resident, previously underwent intrauterine insemination at the main Sion Hospital, becoming its first patient for the procedure a couple of years ago. After that treatment proved unsuccessful, doctors directed her to the new facility.
“It wasn’t successful,” Gargi told The Times of India. “When the IVF lab opened at Chhota Sion Hospital, the doctors asked me to come here.”
The centre currently has 55 women on its waiting list. Next week, doctors plan to transfer one of Fatima’s eight laboratory-created embryos into her uterus.
“We started with six women, with another six to begin treatment next month,” doctors said.
A Central directive calls for every medical college to have an IVF laboratory or department. Cama Hospital was the first public hospital in Maharashtra to set up such a facility, and civic-run KEM Hospital in Parel operates one as well.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and scientific communication purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical condition, diagnosis, or treatment plan.