Indian infertility specialist Dr Khastgir asks couples not to get frustrated

A leading Indian infertility specialist has urged couples unable to produce babies not to be frustrated as nine out of 10 of them can be successful with medical attempts including “assisted reproduction”.

But for that Dr Goutam Khastgir wants doctors to be “transparent” in the process of dealing with infertile couples and learn when to say ‘no’ to them.

“If I cannot do it, if I don’t know it, then I must tell that and refer them (couples),” he said while interacting with doctors in Dhaka on Sunday.

“We doctors in this region sometimes feel ashamed to refer a patient. But we have to learn when to say no and tell the couple that now you have to do this (what is appropriate)”.

Indian High Commission in Dhaka has invited Dr Khastgir, a famed infertility specialist in the region, to interact with Bangladeshi doctors.

He is the Medical Director of BIRTH – Bengal Infertility and Reproductive Therapy Hospital – in Kolkata, but he has roots in Bangladesh’s port city Chittagong where his forefathers used to live before 1947 partition.

Infertility is a growing problem in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world.

A four-year old study found about 15 percent couples infertile in Bangladesh, but there is lack of medicare for them.

“Infertility does not get much attention. Insurance companies do not think it is a disease. But the couple or the woman suffers mentally more than the physical trauma.

“They sometimes face rejection from the society,” he said based on his 29 years of experience in this field.

When to say no?

Dr Khastgir said he observed that many doctors keep trying with medicines for years. “It does not bring results. You have to follow the system.”

He said “if a woman comes less than 35 years of age then we’ll counsel her and tell her to try for a year. In the meantime we’ll do all necessary tests.

“If she comes after 35 years of age, then we will give her six months and in the meantime would do all necessary tests.

“Treatment within medicines can be continued maximum one to one and a half years, then surgery.

“Finally we have to switch to the assisted reproduction process in which an egg is fertilised outside the womb,” he said.

“But even after these years some doctors still keep trying with medicines, but there will be no results of that.”

Dr Khastgir, however, said assisted reproduction, IVF is one of its kinds, “does not mean that you have to wait”.

“It is not the last option. It is the best option. You can do it first,” he said.

Men, women equally responsible

Of the total infertility, one-third is due to women’s problems, one-third for the men, and rest unexplained.

Human-Fertility

“But even unexplained issues are treatable with proper medicare,” he said, stressing on tests to diagnose properly.

“These tests are simple and cheap, but we do not want to do that.

“Sometimes doctors give wrong message. Those doctors who cannot do this they tell the couples that there is no benefit of the treatment.”

The reasons include problems in eggs in woman and sperms in man and blockage in the way of passing the eggs due to any gynaecological problem of a woman.

Easy to introduce in government facilities

He said the West Bengal government has tasked him to introduce the infertility treatment at every government hospital.

“It’s very easy. The government does not need so much money,” he said, stressing on spreading the treatment facilities across Bangladesh.

“In Bangladesh any facility can start the procedure with Tk 10 million equipment if they have skilled manpower.”

He said his hospital in Kolkata was offering training for free.

IVF

“Any doctor can come and join our hands-on training. There is no charge for that,” he said.

Awareness must

The Indian infertility specialist stressed on lifestyle change to prevent obesity.

He also called for maintaining hygiene, particularly girls during the menstrual bleeding, avoiding tight clothes, and using condoms in case of multiple partners.

Alcohol addiction can also cause the problem.

He suggested continuous awareness campaigns to let people get the correct information on infertility and treatment

“There are many myths and misconceptions about infertility,” he said.

The Indian High Commission has organised the workshop as part of its engagements in the medical sector with Bangladesh.