The Hindu : Unethical practices in fertility clinics alleged

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 01, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Unethical practices in fertility clinics alleged

By Our Special Correspondent

KOZHIKODE JAN. 31.A childless couple who made an abortive attempt to get a baby through artificial insemination has demanded more stringent laws to check unethical practices in infertility clinics.

At a press conference in Malappuram today, the couple, Anita and Jayadevan, alleged an infertility clinic where they had gone for treatment used a donor ova (egg taken from another woman) without their consent. The pregnancy had to be aborted due to the poor health of Anita who had undergone the treatment. The couple demanded steps to ensure transparency in infertility treatment and to prevent `fraud and unethical practices'.

The couple said theirs had been a traumatic experience. It had convinced them about the urgent need for effective laws to regulate and monitor functioning of infertility clinics which boasted of facilities for the assisted reproductive technology (ART) to enable childless couples to fulfill their dream of having a baby.

Jayadevan, a lawyer, and his wife Anita, a school teacher, said they went for intra cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment at the Edappal Hospitals Pvt Ltd since the hospital's brochure stated, this procedure, though quite expensive, would ensure a pregnancy making use of the sperm and ovum of the couple themselves.

A brochure issued by the hospital had claimed in ICSI treatment neither donor ovum nor donor sperm would be used, K. Kottan Nair, Anita's father who was also present at the press conference, said. The ICSI treatment was given in 2001 but since it failed to yield results, it was done again in November next year and embryo transfer was reported to have taken place in January 2003.

However, Anita subsequently developed complications and had to be hospitalised for treatment. Not satisfied with the service in the Edappal Hospital, her relatives moved her to a hospital in Thrissur and later to another hospital in the same district.

The pregnancy was later terminated in a hospital in Chennai as her condition deteriorated. The foetus was preserved at the hospital in Chennai for a DNA test since her relatives suspected a donor ovum was used, contrary to the promise made by the hospital authorities.

The hospital management later admitted a donor ovum was used for artificial insemination. The couple has sued the Edappal Hospital authorities for Rs 20,01,000 as damages.

When contacted for the hospital's reaction to the allegation, P. M. Viswanathan, Director of the Edappal Hospital Ltd, told The Hindu that the couple had given their oral consent for use of donor ovum. Two donor eggs were used for her ICSI since eggs from her were of low quality.

Dr. Viswanthan also claimed the couple had asked the hospital authorities to keep the use of donor eggs a secret since they were known to the hospital staff. That was why the oral consent was not recorded in writing. ``No fraud, unethical or criminal acts, or unfair trade practices alleged has taken place,'' he said.

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