The Lockdown and Work From Home options have literally been "productive" for some of these couples who were struggling for the past five to six years to conceive and even were on IVF treatments. Infertility experts in the city claim that nearly 30 per cent of their clients have conceived naturally during the lockdown and the work from the home period.
"There is definitely good news. We have had many of our couples who had planned for assisted reproduction techniques to have conceived spontaneously," said Dr Palllavi A Rao of S DAAC registered sperm bank (ART bank) in the state.
Attributing the possible reasons to the proximity between the couples, change in time zones for couples working in US and UK shifts, lifestyle modifications, reduction in travelling during the lockdown and 'work from home' options, Dr Soumya Sangamesh, an infertility specialist at BGS Gleeagles Global Hospital. said, "some of them who lost track or postponed treatment for fertility issues have conceived. This may be due to reduced mental stress or spenign more time together and also definitely we would have put them on some treatmetn which would have imporved thier sperm counts or egg quality and better uteriene microenvironment favourable for pregnancy,"
Meanwhile, Dr Anu Kottur, Facility Director, Milann Fertility and Birthing Centre, Kumarapark said, there have been instances wherein 25 per cent of couples who had come for IVF treatment to her centre had conceived naturally during the lockdown.
The gynaecologists say that the biological clock for many of these couples tuned for the good during their 'work from home' days. Expressing the joy of conceiving after trying the IVF method twice and being married for almost 8 years, Swathi Ashish, a software engineer by profession told TNIE, "it was like a miracle for us. My husband lost weight and since he could not meet his friends, the regular parties were avoided. I didn't have to travel all the way till Electronic City. All these I think came together to help me conceive naturally,"
Meanwhile, Dr Hema Divakar, Former President, Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) and medical director, Divakars Speciality Hospital says, it is also the perception of the couple. While she agrees that there have been many such instances she says it could be perhaps that the couple might not have given themselves time but were rushing to fertility clinics.
"When the anxiety of visiting the doctor and "what next " disappeared, some of them with no major fertility related issues did conceive. If we had data pooled, it would be reflecting on facts rather than perception but most consultants would have come across this.So, perception waves are also true."
