Laparoscopy services at Maha-run hospital help combat infertility: Study

For six long years, a 29-year-old tailoring assistant from Dharavi endured relentless pelvic pain, heavy periods, and the quiet heartbreak of not being able to become a mother.

- Rupsa Chakraborty

MUMBAI:

The Dharavi resident's symptoms were typical of endometriosis — a chronic condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, causing inflammation, scarring and infertility. But private hospitals quoted over ₹1 lakh for laparoscopy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure using which doctors could examine the insides of her abdomen and remove any lesions.

"We simply couldn't afford it," said the tailoring assistant. "Then a neighbour, who was being treated at Cama hospital, told me about their free laparoscopy services. That changed everything."

In November 2024, the Dharavi resident underwent laparoscopic surgery free of cost at the state-run Cama and Albless Hospital. A few months later, she conceived naturally.

Addressing a gap

Like the Dharavi resident, at least 15 women from low-income backgrounds visit the outpatient department at Cama and Albless Hospital every month with similar complaints — persistent pelvic pain, irregular bleeding, and unexplained infertility.