Now get IVF treatment for Rs 20,000

New Delhi, Feb 7 (PTI) Giving a ray of hope to poorinfertile couples, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS) will soon provide in vitro fertilisation treatment atan affordable price.

IVF technology is a major treatment for infertilecouples when other methods of assisted reproductive technologyhave failed. But not all such couples are able to avail it asfertility clinics usually charge about Rs two lakhs and evenmore for the treatment.

"In order to help poorer infertile couples avail thisfacility we are carrying out experiments wherein we help womenconceive with IVF at an affordable price," Dr Suneeta Mittal,head of the department of gynaecology, AIIMS, said here.

"Our experiments have shown encouraging results and weare confident that by the end of this year we will makeavailable IVF facility for Rs 20,000 here," she said.

The rate of infertility is rising in the country anddoctors blame erratic lifestyles and social pressures faced bycouples for it.

Mittal said, "IVF technology is expensive becauseof the drugs and the hormones given to infertile couples tohelp them conceive. These hormones cost over Rs 30,000. AtAIIMS we charge between Rs 60,000 to Rs 65,000. In our presentexperiments, we are trying to help women conceive at a cost ofRs 20,000."

IVF involves fertilising an ovum in a laboratory andthen transferring the embryo to a woman''s uterus.