Bringing New Life

Rarely does a book launch witness such a huge turnout,as did the release of fertility expert,Dr Firuza Parikh’s The Complete Guide to Becoming Pregnant,held in Mumbai on Saturday. The book was launched by Nita Ambani,who came along with husband Mukesh and mother-in-law Kokilaben. It was a star-studded event,which saw director Farah Khan talk openly about her experience of conceiving at an advanced age at the discussion which followed the launch. Also present was Aamir Khan,with wife Kiran Rao. The actor was moderating the event and asked — jokingly,we hope — if men could get pregnant.

Parikh informed us that it was not just celebs who came to the launch but also many representatives of the medical profession and her patients from across India. “When celebs talk about certain issues,these get highlighted,” says Parikh,“That’s when people realise that they can also discuss problems like infertility. A stigma is still attached to infertility in our country,but I’m glad more people are willing to discuss it openly. When someone like Farah Khan talks about it at an open forum,it helps the cause.” The doctor spoke about the need to address fertility openly and also discussed her work in the Kashmir Valley,where many girls are experiencing premature menopause. “Some of them are hitting menopause at 15. We’re working to identify the girls who are at risk and helping them complete their reproductive cycle,” she said.

The book is meant to be the layman’s guide to the reproductive cycle and pregnancy. “It’s been written in a straightforward,clear manner and we’ve included the real life experiences of people,” informs Parikh.