India’s First Test-Tube Baby is Now a Mother of Baby Boy

On 6^th August 1986, Baby Harsha created a history: she was India’s first test-tube baby. Thirty years later, she gave birth to her own baby, conceived naturally. What made it more interesting is that Harsha’s cesarean-section at Jaslok Hospital was performed by the same doctors who helped her mother in conception by IVF in 1986.

 “We had to do a C-section as the baby was presenting a breech (the head was up and the legs were down). He is a healthy and chubby baby and weighed 3.18 kg,” said Dr. Indira Hinduja. She added, “It is a proof that IVF babies lead a normal life. To watch Harsha grow-up, marry and now the mother of two children – a boy and a girl, was incredible. I am grateful to God that I was part of it.”

“I had kept in touch with Dr. Hinduja all these years. She is my second mother,” says Harsha, adding that she had a smooth pregnancy.

 

The Breaking Points from 1986: Beginning, Troubles and success

Before visiting Dr. Hinduja, Mani Chawda and her husband Shyam had been trying to conceive for four years. When they visited Dr. Hinduja, they didn’t understand what exactly IVF was but all they want was a baby.

Troubles

The IVF procedure was not established in India until Harsha’s birth in 1986. “We had to take so many permissions then from Ethics Committee of KEM Hospital, ICMR”, said Dr. Hinduja.

Success

The Chawdas found success on the first attempt and in August, Harsha was born. She had hit the headlines after Dr. Hinduja and Dr. Kusum Zaveri — the IVF specialists delivered her at KEM hospital. Since then, IVF has opened new gateways and thousands of women have got the pleasure of becoming mother.