‘A scam…Rs 2.5 lakh was a waste’: Yuvika Chaudhary shares her struggle with failed IVF cycles; expert on how to identify a responsible fertility specialist

Yuvika recalled meeting the wrong doctor early on, who not only charged her heavily but also shattered her confidence. “She told me you can’t become a mother, and that I will need to take eggs from a donor, as the quality of your eggs is not good. I was like ‘What is this?’” Yuvika continued, “I was 38 at that time and thought ye kya ho gaya (what has happened?). I didn’t have any knowledge about it. The doctor had pulled my morale down that I started doubting myself. I started panicking, and my confidence was zero.”

She said the first IVF cycle “cost Rs 2-2.5 lakh… You get injections on your thighs and stomach every day, and during this time, you have to be calm mentally.” Yet the ordeal didn’t end there. On the day of her “pick up” procedure — a step in which mature eggs are collected — the clinic told her they wouldn’t take responsibility if she didn’t wake up from anaesthesia. “Then Prince and I decided to leave it, and the Rs 2.5 lakh was a waste,” she shared.

Eventually, she found another doctor who restored her faith and helped her successfully conceive. But the experience left her wary of how IVF is often sold to vulnerable couples. “IVF is a scam. There are so many centres. People don’t know where to go,” she said.

Her story highlights an uncomfortable truth — that in the absence of transparency, support, and ethical medical guidance, fertility treatments can become not just physically taxing but emotionally scarring.

On patients’ mental health during fertility treatments, and the kind of communication couples should expect from a responsible fertility specialist

Dr Gaana Sreenivas, obstetrician and gynaecologist at Bone and Birth Clinic and Rainbow Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, tells indianexpress.com, “A responsible fertility specialist must communicate with empathy, transparency, and scientific clarity. Even when chances are low, patients deserve to hear it in a way that preserves their dignity and sense of control. Fertility care is not only about medical outcomes; it’s about emotional safeguarding too.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by PRINCE YUVIKA NARULA ❤️❤️❤️ (@princenarula) 

How can patients protect themselves from misinformation, unethical practices, or financial exploitation when choosing fertility clinics?

The unfortunate reality is that the rapid growth of IVF centres has created a landscape where commercial motives sometimes overshadow ethics. Dr Sreenivas states that patients can protect themselves by checking whether a clinic is registered under the ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) Act, verifying the credentials of its embryologists and doctors, and asking for documented success rates rather than verbal assurances. 

“Reputed centres are transparent about costs, medical protocols, and chances of success. Seeking a second opinion is also a healthy practice; informed patients are far less likely to fall prey to misleading promises,” stresses Dr Sreenivas.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.