Frequently Asked Questions

The usual guidance is after twelve months of regular unprotected intercourse without a pregnancy, or after six months if the female partner is over 35. Come sooner — without waiting out the clock — if periods are irregular or absent, if there is known endometriosis or PCOS, if either partner has had pelvic or testicular surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or if there have been two or more miscarriages.

More than any other single factor on the female side. Both the number of eggs and their genetic quality decline with age, and the decline steepens after the mid-thirties. Male fertility declines too, but later and more gradually. This is why the same treatment can carry very different odds for two people — and why a delay of two or three years is not a neutral decision.

A full history from both partners, an examination, and a review of any reports you bring. You will usually leave with a list of tests rather than a treatment plan — the plan comes after the results. Nothing is booked or started on the first visit unless you want it to be.

Yes, and they are among the few factors you can change. Smoking is associated with reduced egg and sperm quality and with lower treatment success. Being significantly over or under a healthy weight can disturb ovulation. Alcohol and heat exposure affect sperm production. None of this causes infertility on its own, and none of it is a reason to blame yourself — but addressing it improves the ground any treatment works on.

IUI places prepared sperm directly into the uterus at the time of ovulation, and fertilisation still happens inside your body. IVF removes the eggs, fertilises them in the laboratory, and places a resulting embryo back into the uterus. IUI is simpler, less demanding and less expensive, but it needs at least one open tube and reasonable sperm quality. IVF works in situations IUI cannot reach — blocked tubes, severe male-factor infertility, or repeated IUI attempts that have not succeeded.

Both. A male factor is involved in roughly half of all cases, and a semen analysis is quicker, cheaper and less invasive than most of the female testing. Assessing only one partner is the most common way a couple ends up repeating months of investigation.

Typically four to six weeks from the start of ovarian stimulation to the pregnancy test — around 8–12 days of stimulation, then egg retrieval, fertilisation, embryo culture and transfer.

It is performed under sedation as a day-care procedure and takes around twenty minutes. Most patients describe mild cramping afterwards and go home the same day.

Usually one. Transferring more raises the chance of a multiple pregnancy, which carries greater risk for both mother and babies. The number is decided with you, based on your age and embryo quality.

Success depends heavily on maternal age, ovarian reserve and the underlying cause. Rather than quote a single headline figure, we share the outcome data relevant to your specific profile at your consultation.

Surplus good-quality embryos can be frozen for a future transfer, which avoids repeating stimulation and retrieval. You give written consent covering how long they are stored and what happens to them.

Most patients continue working throughout, taking a day off for egg retrieval and usually resting briefly after transfer. Monitoring visits are short but frequent.

Most patients describe it as similar to a smear test — brief, with mild cramping at most. No anaesthetic is needed and you can go home straight afterwards.

Three to six cycles is common before reviewing. If IUI has not worked in that window, moving to IVF is usually discussed rather than continuing indefinitely.

Yes — at least one. IUI places sperm in the uterus, so fertilization still has to happen in the fallopian tube.

No. You can return to normal activity the same day; lying down afterwards has not been shown to improve the outcome.

In IVF, prepared sperm are placed with the eggs and fertilization happens on its own. In ICSI, one selected sperm is injected directly into each egg. Everything else about the cycle — stimulation, retrieval, culture and transfer — is the same.

IMSI uses much higher magnification to examine sperm structure before selection. It is used in specific situations, such as repeated failure or abnormal sperm morphology, rather than routinely.

Chiefly couples with male-factor infertility — low count, poor motility or morphology — and those whose eggs failed to fertilise in a previous standard IVF cycle.

ICSI has been in routine clinical use since the 1990s. Your clinician will discuss the current evidence on outcomes with you as part of consent for the procedure.

Volume, sperm concentration, motility — how many are moving and how well — and morphology, the proportion with a normal shape. It also checks for signs of infection. Because results vary naturally from sample to sample, an abnormal first report is usually repeated before any conclusion is drawn.

Two to five days of abstinence before the sample — less than two or more than five can both distort the result. Avoid alcohol in the days before, and tell us about any recent fever or illness, since a high temperature can suppress sperm production for weeks afterwards.

Usually not. A low count narrows the route rather than closing it. Depending on the numbers, options range from IUI, to IVF, to ICSI where a single sperm is injected directly into an egg. Even where very few sperm are found, ICSI can often still work — which is precisely the problem it was developed to solve.

This is called azoospermia, and it has two broad causes: sperm are being produced but cannot get out, or production itself is impaired. The distinction matters, because in the first case sperm can often be retrieved surgically and used with ICSI. Hormone tests and a clinical examination establish which situation applies before anything is planned.

Sometimes. Hormonal deficiencies can be treated, infections cleared, and a varicocele — enlarged veins in the scrotum — can be repaired surgically, which improves parameters in a proportion of men. Where the cause is genetic or the testicular tissue is damaged, treatment works around it instead. The evaluation is what tells you which of these you are dealing with.

Yes. PCOS mainly disturbs ovulation, and ovulation is one of the more treatable problems in fertility medicine. Many women conceive with weight management and ovulation-induction tablets alone; others need injections or IVF. PCOS also raises the risk of over-response to stimulation, so protocols are deliberately gentler and monitored more closely.

It can distort pelvic anatomy, damage the tubes and ovaries, and create an inflammatory environment that interferes with implantation. Mild disease may need no more than help with timing; more advanced disease often responds better to IVF, which bypasses the pelvis entirely. Surgery has a role in some cases and not in others.

If one tube is open and healthy, natural conception or IUI remains possible. If both are blocked, IVF is the direct answer, because fertilisation happens in the laboratory and the embryo is placed into the uterus without passing through a tube. Tubal surgery is occasionally worthwhile, and occasionally not — it depends on where and how the blockage sits.

AMH estimates how many eggs remain, not how good they are. A low result suggests fewer eggs will be collected in a stimulation cycle, which matters for planning. It does not mean you cannot conceive, and on its own it is a poor predictor of natural pregnancy. It is read alongside your age and antral follicle count, never in isolation.

It is a strong clue. Irregular cycles usually mean ovulation is irregular or absent, and you cannot conceive in a cycle where no egg is released. The useful part is that the cause — PCOS, thyroid dysfunction, raised prolactin, weight-related — is identifiable with blood tests and is often correctable.

Yes. Two or more losses justify a full evaluation rather than being told to keep trying. Testing looks at the uterine cavity, thyroid and hormonal function, clotting disorders and chromosomal factors in both partners. A cause is not always found, but where one is, it is frequently treatable.

Women who want to keep the option of a pregnancy open but are not in a position to attempt one now — because of career or study timing, because a partner is not in the picture, or because a medical treatment ahead is likely to damage ovarian function. It preserves the eggs you have at the age you freeze them.

Earlier is better, because both the number collected and their genetic quality track your age at freezing rather than your age at use. The trade-off is that freezing earlier means a higher chance the eggs are never needed. There is no single right answer — an AMH test and an antral follicle count make the decision concrete rather than theoretical.

The same first half as an IVF cycle: about two weeks of stimulation injections with scan monitoring, then egg retrieval under sedation as a day procedure. The eggs are vitrified — flash-frozen — and stored. There is no transfer and no embryo stage until you decide to use them.

Most do. Vitrification freezes so rapidly that damaging ice crystals do not form, and it has substantially improved survival compared with older slow-freezing methods. Not every egg survives, not every survivor fertilises, and not every fertilised egg becomes a usable embryo — which is why the number collected matters more than it first appears.

Storage itself does not appear to degrade vitrified eggs over the timescales in use, and Indian ART regulation sets the permitted storage period and the consents required. We confirm the current limits and the renewal process with you in writing before anything is stored, so nothing depends on remembering a conversation.

Usually two to six weeks, covering stimulation, egg retrieval, fertilisation, embryo development and freezing.

Modern vitrification has substantially improved survival compared with older slow-freezing methods, but not every embryo survives. Your embryologist will discuss what to expect for your particular embryos.

Embryos are thawed and transferred in a frozen embryo transfer cycle, which is simpler than a full IVF cycle — no stimulation or retrieval is needed.

Donation at our clinic is usually anonymous. We will consider known donors on a case-by-case basis, provided they meet the published criteria.

Generally they are higher than with a woman’s own eggs at the same age, because egg quality tracks the age of the egg rather than the age of the recipient, and donors are younger. That is a general pattern rather than a figure we can promise you — your own chance depends on your assessment, and we will discuss it honestly before you decide.

Yes, within the framework of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021. Eligibility for donation and for treatment is set by that law, not by the clinic.

Yes. Counselling is an important part of the programme and is offered before you commit to treatment — donation raises questions worth thinking through unhurried.

Samples can be stored long term. The consent form you complete specifies the storage period, and it can be reviewed and extended.

You can withdraw consent at any time. The form also lets you specify what should happen to the sample in the event that something happens to you.

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can affect fertility, so freezing beforehand is commonly recommended. Speak to your oncologist and to us as early as possible, since it is best done before treatment starts.

Quick and usually painless. A fine catheter passes the embryo through the cervix into the uterus under ultrasound guidance, without anaesthesia in most cases. It takes a few minutes. You rest briefly afterwards and go home the same day — prolonged bed rest is not recommended and does not improve the outcome.

As few as give you a good chance — often one. Transferring more raises the chance of twins or triplets, and a multiple pregnancy carries materially higher risks for both mother and babies. The number is decided with you, based on embryo quality, your age and your history, and it is a conversation rather than a default.

Live normally. Continue the prescribed medication, avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise, and otherwise carry on working and moving as usual. Home pregnancy tests taken early are the main source of unnecessary distress in this fortnight — the blood test on the scheduled day is the one that gives a reliable answer.

Neither is universally better. A frozen transfer lets the uterine lining recover from stimulation before the embryo is placed, and it is clearly preferable where there is a risk of ovarian hyperstimulation. A fresh transfer avoids a freeze-thaw step and shortens the timeline. The choice depends on how your cycle actually went, so it is often made late rather than promised in advance.

Medication continues, a repeat blood test confirms the level is rising as expected, and a scan at around six to seven weeks confirms the location and the heartbeat. Care continues with us through the early weeks before being handed over for routine antenatal care, with earlier review if there is any bleeding or pain.

For the female partner: hormone tests including AMH, a transvaginal scan with an antral follicle count, thyroid and prolactin levels, and an assessment of the uterine cavity and tubes where relevant. For the male partner: a semen analysis, repeated if abnormal. Both partners have baseline infection screening, which is a regulatory requirement before any laboratory procedure.

Several do. Baseline hormones and the antral follicle count are read in the first few days of the cycle, tubal assessment is done after menstruation and before ovulation, and progesterone is checked in the second half. AMH and semen analysis can be done at any time. This is why scheduling matters if you are travelling in for tests.

Most women describe cramping similar to a strong period pain, lasting a few minutes. A painkiller taken beforehand helps considerably. It is an outpatient procedure and you go home afterwards. Tell us if you have a history of pelvic infection, as that changes how we prepare you for it.

Not automatically. Bring everything you have — reports remain useful well beyond the visit they were done for. Some tests are repeated because the result changes over time or because regulation requires a current one before a laboratory procedure; we will tell you which and why rather than simply reordering the set.

Not routinely. It is considered where there is recurrent miscarriage, repeated failed transfers, advanced maternal age, or a known inherited condition in the family. It adds cost and a biopsy step, and it does not improve outcomes for everyone. It is offered where there is a reason for it, not as a default upgrade.

After one year of regular, unprotected intercourse if the female partner is under 35, or after six months if she is 35 or older. If periods are irregular or absent, or there is a known condition such as PCOS or endometriosis, come sooner — waiting does not help.

Yes. Male factors contribute to a large share of cases and a semen analysis is quick and non-invasive. Assessing only one partner risks treating the wrong thing.

Any previous fertility test results, semen analysis reports, ultrasound scans, surgical records and a list of current medication.

Most investigations are completed within a single menstrual cycle, because some tests are timed to specific days of the cycle.

Around one in six couples receive a diagnosis of unexplained infertility. It does not mean nothing can be done — treatments such as IUI or IVF are often effective even when no single cause has been identified.

Usually yes, and it is more manageable than it sounds. The injections are subcutaneous — a very fine needle just under the skin of the abdomen or thigh — and most come in pre-filled pens. A nurse teaches you and watches you do the first one. Partners often take it on, and you are welcome to come in for them if you would rather not.

Bloating, breast tenderness, mood changes, headache and mild abdominal discomfort are common and settle after the cycle. Contact the centre rather than waiting if you develop severe abdominal pain or swelling, breathlessness, vomiting, or a sharp drop in urine output — these can signal ovarian hyperstimulation, which is uncommon but needs to be seen promptly.

Call the centre the moment you realise, and do not double the next dose. Timing tolerance differs sharply between drugs — being a few hours late with one is inconsequential, while the trigger injection is timed to the specific hour and cannot be shifted. We will tell you which situation you are in.

Some require refrigeration between two and eight degrees, others are stable at room temperature, and the labels differ. Never freeze them. If you are travelling, carry them in hand luggage in a cool pack with the prescription — checked baggage holds are cold enough to ruin them.

The bloating and fluid retention during a cycle are temporary and resolve afterwards. On cancer, large long-term studies have not established a causal link between fertility drugs and ovarian or breast cancer, though research continues. If you have a personal or strong family history, tell us — it is a legitimate part of choosing a protocol.

Mostly the medication, which varies with the dose your ovaries need, and the laboratory procedures involved — a straightforward IVF cycle costs less than one requiring ICSI, embryo freezing or genetic testing. Consultations, scans and blood tests make up the rest. Because the dose depends on your test results, a meaningful figure can only be given after the evaluation, not before it.

Yes. Before treatment begins you receive an itemised estimate covering consultations, medication, laboratory procedures and follow-up, so you can see what each part contributes. If something changes mid-cycle that affects the cost, you are told at the time rather than at the end.

The estimate covers the planned cycle: monitoring scans, the retrieval, laboratory work and the transfer. Things that are not always needed sit outside it and are quoted separately — ICSI where it was not anticipated, embryo freezing and annual storage, genetic testing, and any surgical procedure. Ask for the exclusions explicitly; a good estimate names them.

A further fresh cycle is a further cost. A frozen transfer using embryos already stored from the first cycle costs considerably less, because the stimulation, retrieval and laboratory stages have already been done — which is one of the practical arguments for freezing surplus embryos when there are any.

Call the centre or request a callback. Figures are not published here because a number quoted without knowing your diagnosis and drug requirement would be misleading in either direction. After your evaluation you get a written estimate specific to your plan.

Booking ahead is better. A first consultation needs a longer slot than a follow-up, and calling first means we can hold one for you rather than asking you to wait.

Callback requests are picked up during working hours — Monday to Saturday, 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, and Sunday morning. If your message arrives after hours, expect a call the next working morning. For anything urgent, please call rather than wait for a callback.

Yes, where it is possible. Around half of all infertility involves a male factor, so assessing both partners from the start avoids a second round of appointments and tests.

Yes. Send them on WhatsApp and the team will have them ready. This matters most if you are travelling in from another district, because it can change what you need to bring.

Yes. Whatever you share is used to arrange your care and nothing else. We do not sell or share your details with anyone outside the centre.

Tell us when you call and we will try to fit the consultation and the initial tests into the same trip. Some tests are tied to specific days of your cycle, so this is not always possible — we will be straight with you about which ones are.

You are seen for a review, and the point of that consultation is to look at what the cycle showed — how the ovaries responded, how many eggs and embryos there were, how the lining behaved. Most changes to a second protocol come from that information. There is no obligation to decide anything at that visit.

Physically, often one full cycle is enough for a fresh attempt, and a frozen transfer can sometimes follow sooner. The limiting factor is more often emotional than medical. There is no advantage in starting again before you are ready, and no harm in taking a few months.

They remain in storage under your consent, and you decide what happens to them — continued storage, use in a later transfer, donation where permitted, or discontinuation. The consent you sign at the start sets out the options and the storage period, and nothing changes without your instruction.

Say so, and it will be part of your care rather than an afterthought. Fertility treatment is demanding in a way that is easy to underestimate, and a failed cycle is a bereavement even when nobody names it as one. Raise it at any consultation — it is a normal thing to bring up, not a distraction from the medical plan.

It depends far more on who is being treated than on where. Age, ovarian reserve, sperm quality, the cause of infertility and the number of previous attempts each move the odds substantially. At your consultation we discuss the range that applies to your profile and the reasoning behind it. We do not publish a single headline figure, because a number detached from those variables tells you nothing useful about your own chances.

Carefully, because clinics can define the number differently — per cycle started, per retrieval, per transfer, live birth or positive test — and each definition produces a higher figure than the last. A centre that treats more complex cases will report lower raw numbers than one that does not. Ask what the denominator is and which patients are included; without that, the comparison is not a comparison.

For most people, yes. The cumulative chance across several attempts is meaningfully higher than the chance in any single cycle, which is why outcomes are better described over a course of treatment than over one attempt. How many attempts are reasonable is an individual judgement, and it is one we will give you an honest view on.

No, and you should treat a guarantee as a reason for caution rather than confidence. No centre controls egg quality, sperm quality or implantation. What a centre can be accountable for is the standard of the laboratory, the appropriateness of the protocol and the honesty of the conversation before you commit.

Yes. Records are kept confidential and are not discussed with family members without your consent. If relatives are involved in your visits, tell us how much you want shared in front of them — we will follow your instruction rather than assume.

Yes, and it is a reasonable thing to want. Bring or send the reports and the proposed protocol. If we agree with the plan, we will say so plainly — a second opinion that confirms the first is a useful outcome, not a wasted visit.

Yes. They are yours. Ask at the centre and they will be provided, which matters if you are moving cities, seeking a second opinion, or simply want your own file.

Send your reports ahead so the first consultation starts from something rather than nothing, and tell us your travel constraints when you book. Some monitoring scans are tied to specific cycle days and cannot be moved, but the schedule can often be arranged so the unavoidable visits fall together. We will be straight about which parts genuinely require you to be here.

Consultations, treatment planning and key procedures are led by Dr. Padmaja, supported by the embryology and nursing team. If you would like to know who will be present at a specific step, ask — it is a fair question and you should not have to guess.