Resurrection of Fellowship in Reproductive Medicine in India

  • Reproductive medicine has always fascinated research and continues to attract the best of minds from the industry. There has been many recent advances in terms of technology, diagnosis and treatment approaches. This is evident in terms of large number of academic bodies, both in India and international, providing platforms to share such developments.

    Government of India Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Department of Health Research) Notification New Delhi, the March 2022 in exercise of the powers of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) ACT 2021, the Central Government hereby makes the following rules namely: These rules may be called the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Rules, 2022.

    Subject to the provisions of this Act and the rules and regulations made there under, the National Board will take steps to create new policies regarding assisted reproductive technology and support State Boards in accrediting, supervising, and regulating the services provided by banks and clinics using assisted reproductive technology across India. Rules under ART support and foster education and investigation into assisted reproduction.

    According to the ART Act the staff requirements given below will be mandatory for all ART Clinics/Banks. The qualifications of the staff are of foremost importance as detailed out in the application for setting up an ART Lab.

    Let’s consider the gynaecologist. This Dr will be a medical post-graduate in obstetrics and gynecology, and he or she should have completed at least three years of training in a registered ART center, or a superspecialist fellowship in reproductive medicine, OR a record of performing fifty oocyte retrievals under the supervision of a trained ART specialist (records of procedures to be maintained).

    The Fellowship in Reproductive Medicine specialist possesses the knowledge of the causes of infertility in men and women; strongly backed by understanding of the procedures and application of diagnostic techniques to identify the underlying cause of infertility.

    Knowledge of the clinical aspects of reproductive endocrinology and the reproductive defects caused by endocrine factors, and an understanding of the limitations of the currently used hormone assay methods, and of the techniques available for medically or surgically correcting endocrine disorders.

    Competence in gynaecological ultrasonography to diagnose reproductive tract anomalies; monitoring ovarian and uterine response to ovarian stimulation; picking up oocytes at the most appropriate time; and transferring embryos by any one of the several methods currently available to handle embryo transfer in ‘difficult’ cases.

    The Fellowship in Reproductive Medicine Specialist must be knowledgeable about the principles of ovarian stimulation and the management of complications arising thereupon.

    The responsibilities of the Gynaecologist will include but not limited to:

    1. Interviewing of the infertile couple initially, history taking.
    2. Physical examination of the female.
    • Recommending appropriate tests to be carried out, interpreting them and treating medical disorders (such as infections and endocrine anomalies).
    1. Carrying out gynaecological endoscopy and ultrasonographic intervention for diagnosis and therapy of infertility.
    2. Carrying out ART procedures like egg pick up, embryo transfer and other ancillary procedures as the case and facilities may warrant, based on diagnostic evidence.
    3. The Fellowship in Reproductive Medicine specialist should do self-appraisal and maintain records for audit.

    Now it is obvious from above the importance of qualification of every staff member associated with ART clinic/Lab. The rush for training courses in IVF Fellowship in India, Clinical Embryology, etc is unprecedented and the number of institutions providing these courses are growing in number in India. The courses are guided by ART Act 2022, delivered offline, online or hybrid, varied duration (short, long) and affiliation (University or Institution). So, it would only be prudent to decide by evaluating these factors in sync with your chosen career path.

    Your answer could be Medline Academics!

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