Common IVF Scams and how you can protect yourself
Patient: Dr Malpani, I’m about to start IVF, but honestly, I feel lost. Every clinic claims to have very high success rates. How do I know which one I can actually trust?
Dr. Malpani: That’s a very important question. If all IVF clinics were the same, it wouldn’t matter where you went. But the reality is that not all clinics are equal—and the difference can be huge.
Patient: Why is there such a difference? Aren’t all IVF doctors specialists?
Dr. Malpani: Sadly, no. Many IVF clinics are run by gynaecologists who do multiple surgeries—laparoscopies, hysterectomies, and caesareans—alongside IVF. For them, IVF is just another procedure. But IVF requires full-time focus and expertise. A true IVF specialist does nothing but IVF. Patients often don’t realise this distinction, because they trust the local doctor who may have treated a relative for something unrelated.
Patient: That’s worrying. What about the lab—does it matter as much as the doctor?
Dr. Malpani: It matters even more. Your embryos spend their earliest days in the IVF lab, so the skill of the embryologist is crucial. A good embryologist nurtures embryos carefully; a careless one can damage them in seconds. Unfortunately, patients usually discover this difference only after a failed cycle.
Patient: So clinics only show their best side in the beginning?
Dr. Malpani: Exactly. When you sign up, they roll out the red carpet—promises, smiles, and high success claims. But once you’ve paid, many stop sharing key medical details. Patients often don’t know how many follicles are growing, what their hormone levels are, how many eggs were retrieved, or their quality. Most clinics don’t even give embryo photographs. Patients are left completely in the dark.
Patient: And if the cycle fails?
Dr. Malpani: That’s when things get worse. Instead of being transparent, many doctors blame the patient—saying the eggs were bad or the sperm was poor. Then they push expensive options like donor eggs or sperm. By then, patients feel cheated and lose trust in all IVF doctors. It’s heartbreaking.
Patient: So how do I avoid this trap?
Dr. Malpani: The best protection is information therapy. Before you pay a single rupee, educate yourself. At www.drmalpani.com, we’ve created free, authentic resources—comic books, videos, articles—to help you understand IVF. This way, you’ll know what questions to ask and how to spot a good clinic.
Patient: And what makes a clinic genuinely good?
Dr. Malpani: A good clinic will always share a clear treatment plan in advance, give you photographs of your embryos, and transfer only one top-quality blastocyst at a time. Transparency is the true sign of trustworthiness.
Patient: Thank you, Dr Malpani. This makes me feel more confident about choosing wisely.
Dr. Malpani: That’s exactly why we provide this information—not to get you to come to us, but to help you find the right clinic for yourself. My hope is that this knowledge empowers you to make the best decision—so you can finally hold your baby in your arms.