Fertility Choices: Unpacking Privilege, Access, and Societal Barriers in India

• Choice in fertility is often limited by financial, cultural, and emotional factors, making it less universal than perceived.
• A session with IVF specialist Dr. Rishma Dhillon Pai and Anshula Kapoor highlighted medical options like egg freezing and the impact of societal pressures on women's reproductive decisions.
• Insurance in India frequently denies coverage for fertility medications, even for unrelated treatments, making advanced reproductive options financially inaccessible for many.
• Despite rising average marriage ages and later motherhood in urban India, female fertility declines significantly after 32, creating a paradox for women seeking to delay childbirth.
• India faces a high infertility burden, with demand for IVF rising, yet most health insurance policies do not cover fertility preservation or assisted reproductive treatments, making choices theoretical for many.