13 weeks pregnant after egg donor IVF at Malpani Infertility Clinic in India, Mumbai

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Despite a series of expensive consultations, investigations and treatments in the UK, we ended up with 2 failed IVFs and emotional and financial strain. Compounding the situation was when we were eventually told that IVF was no longer an option for us because my egg reserve was too low and that the only option we had to make our dream of having a baby come true, was through egg donation. For about a year I struggled to get an egg donor. What made it more difficult was that we actually needed a Black donor because I am Black and my husband is White. We contacted the UK National Gamete Donation Trust and our plea for an egg donor was placed on their data base but the response from most licensed fertility clinics was that there was a shortage of egg donors particularly of the ethnic minority group. It became evident that we had to broaden our fertility horizons and this led to correspondence with various individuals and egg donation services abroad. Whilst in this maze, I came across a 2nd Opinion Infertility doctor at Malpani Infertility Clinic in India and I thought it won’t cause any harm for me to get a 2nd opinion regarding my fertility problem. Within the very same day I received a response from Dr Malpani who confirmed that he could help. He answered all my questions promptly and honestly and even advised my GP to do a Clomid Challenge test and based on the results and considering my age (45yrs), we agreed to do egg donor IVF. From the beginning he was transparent with regards to his fees, type and duration of my treatment, and he gave me various detailed information about infertility and IVF on his website: www.drmalpani.com This was extremely useful and reassuring. Dr Malpani is a man of integrity and is highly professional.

Within a month, not years, we were in a position to decide on a date for starting my treatment at the same time with my anonymous egg donor. We were given an opportunity to choose our egg donor from a list provided. This was quite helpful because I chose the donor that best suite my descriptions and interest.

I could not believe it when I eventually flew to India but due to work commitments, my husband joined me after a week. When we worked out the expenditures, it worked out far more cheap for us to do the IVF in India compared to the UK, all including airfare, cost of living and accommodation, entertainment. Because it was the first time we visited India and we needed a conducive environment for us to concentrate on our treatment, safe accommodation was an important area hence we appreciated the assistance that Dr Malpani offered in helping us find a suitable and inexpensive accommodation.

India is much different from Africa and the UK in that despite the fact that it is densely populated and there is extreme poverty, the rate of crime is very low. People are humble and very warm.

Anyway, a day after I arrived in India, Dr Malpani did some few tests and I started with my clearly defined treatment plan. I visited the clinic almost on weekly and the effect of the treatment was monitored very closely. I need not go anywhere else as everything, the laboratory, scan room was in the same clinic. The staff were excellent and very supportive. I felt at home as I seemed to have developed a very close and open relationship with the nursing staff and Dr Malpani. I felt comfortable asking any question and always got good, honest responses. I remember at some point I was a little anxious and was asking lots of questions and Dr Malpani reassuringly said to me: “Nozipho, leave the worrying up to me. I will do what is humanly possible to make your treatment a success but once I have transferred the embryos into your uterus, I would have done my job to the best of my abilities, and all will be in the hands of God. ” I could not have expected more than such an honest and comforting response like that. That clearly showed that Dr Malpani is a specialist in infertility treatment and had confidence that he will carry out my treatment with exceptional expertise up until he had to hand over to Mother Nature and that is: God’s Divine intervention which resulted in a pregnancy.

I had weekly scans to closely monitor my progress and response to treatment, which went very well. My husband joined me a week before he had to submit his sperm, as a result we were able to explore Mumbai and other interesting places before our return.

I guess my anonymous egg donor was undergoing treatment at the same time with me and thank God I never had to know her. I however, would always appreciate the precious gift that woman gave me by giving me a chance to be a mother. More so, I don’t have any obligation to humiliate my child by explaining that I am not his/her biological mother, as it would have been the case in the UK. The Malpani had done the appropriate screening of my egg donor and I trust their judgment. My egg donor produced 10 good embryos and we had agreed that 3 best ones will be transferred into my uterus.

On the scheduled day, I attended the clinic for my embryo transfer. Prior to the procedure, Dr Malpani and the embryologist showed us the embryos. It was amazing to see that they looked just like the embryos I had seen in the IVF text books. The fact that my husband’s sperms successfully produced those beautiful embryos was awesome. The transfer procedure itself was painless. Within few minutes, without me noticing, Dr Aniruddha Malpani had skilfully and successfully transferred the embryos into my uterus. After 2 hour’s rest at the clinic I went back to my hotel room and spent 3 days on bed rest before I flew back home.

The waiting period following the IVF was nerve wrecking. I remember going to the doctor for pregnancy test 14 days following the egg transfer. I could not believe it when he congratulated me and said that I was pregnant. I immediately went to the pharmacy and bought some few pregnancy test kits. It took some days before my pregnancy miracle could sink in as I tested my urine daily. I still have the strips safely kept in my drawer. My husband was over the moon to get the good news.
Although 3 embryos were transferred, only one implanted. Whatever this outcome, I am grateful. I have recently graduated to the 2nd Trimester of my pregnancy and seeing my baby through the scan lying peacefully in my uterus is overwhelming and remains a miracle.

I cannot thank Dr Aniruddha and Anjali Malpani and their Team enough for doing such an excellent job. I wish I had known about the Malpani Infertility Clinic long ago as I would probably have had a dozen kids, considering my age. Anyway, God send me his way just at the right time, for a reason.

Anyone who needs any more information about my experience at the Malpani Infertility Clinic in India can feel free to contact me at [email protected]