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Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
15% IVF couples now below 30, doctors say medical & lifestyle factors causing early infertility onset
KOLKATA: About 15% of couples seeking IVF in Kolkata are now aged below 30 due to early onset of fertility issues or because they don't want to wait for a natural conception. A decade ago, 95% of couples seeking assisted reproduction were in their mid to late thirties or older, experts said on the eve of World IVF Day on Friday. Doctors say both medical and lifestyle factors are contributing to rising infertility among younger people. Among those seeking help, about 80% opt for IVF; they often have pre-diagnosed conditions like endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata 'While a growing number of couples are deferring parenthood for career reasons, there are others seeking IVF due to early onset of infertility. They are in their mid to late twenties but have issues like ovarian cysts or low sperm count. Some are not willing to wait as they fear delaying pregnancy may lead to a complicated or failed IVF. So, we are seeing more couples below 30 going for IVF than ever before,' said Bani Kumar Mitra, founder of fertility clinic Abha Surgy Centre. Approximately, one-third of fertility cases at these centres involve conditions that are increasingly being associated with lifestyle and environment factors, according to data compiled by Birla Fertility & IVF. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indonesia: New Container Houses (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search ads Search Now Undo These include PCOS, premature ovarian insufficiency, azoospermia (absence of sperms) and sub-optimal sperm parameters. Contributing factors such as poor diet, chronic stress, irregular sleep cycles, smoking and exposure to urban pollution are being reported more frequently among younger patients. 'What we are seeing in Kolkata is both encouraging and a matter of concern,' said Swati Mishra, Centre Head and Senior Consultant at Birla Fertility & IVF, Kolkata. 'On one hand, more individuals in their late 20s are seeking early intervention, which often leads to better outcomes. On the other, we're managing a growing number of fertility challenges that are lifestyle-induced, ranging from PCOS and endometriosis in women to poor sperm health and azoospermia in men. Premature ovarian insufficiency is also showing up in younger age groups, something we did not see as frequently five or so years ago. These trends reflect changing reproductive timelines. The need of the hour is early fertility assessment, lifestyle correction, and greater public awareness to counter this silent crisis before it escalates.' Gynaecologists, however, warn that infertility is reversible for those in their twenties. 'It is often reversible and many are being wrongly led into premature IVF that benefits only the clinics. Lifestyle modification and medication work in a significant number of cases,' said Charnock Hospital gynaecologist Dibyendu Banerjee. Gautam Khastagir, founder of fertility clinic Birth, said improved IVF techniques and higher success rates are luring younger couples to IVF. 'The majority of my patients are still in their mid-thirties but we are seeing more below-30 couples now,' he added. Fertility experts say many IVF-seeking couples also face distressing challenges like unexplained infertility and recurrent IVF failure and integrating genetic testing, pre-implantation genetic testing, pre-conceptional carrier screening and prenatal diagnostics into mainstream fertility care can raise the success rate. 'By identifying silent carriers of serious inherited conditions such as thalassemia and spinal muscular atrophy, even in couples without any family history,' said Sujoy Dasgupta, clinical services director of Genome – The Fertility Centre.
India Today
03-07-2025
- General
- India Today
Gold medal, no job: Inside the irony of Indian 'Merit'
It was a cold January morning when Swati Mishra, a gold medalist from Delhi University, sat refreshing her inbox for the 47th time that week. She had it all, stellar grades, ten shining medals, fifty certificates, and the prized "University Topper" title. Her family had already started referring to her as Professor Mishra as if it were a certainty. But job offer? Internship? Even a callback? she did what most frustrated Gen Z achievers do: she took to LinkedIn. "No job. No internship. Nothing. Companies don't want toppers who only mug up notes," she wrote in a brutally honest post that quickly went viral. In a country that reveres the academic topper like a demi-god, the irony couldn't be more NUMBERS THAT DON'T ADD UP According to the Mercer | Mettl India Graduate Skill Index 2024, only 42.6% of Indian graduates are employable , a decline from 44.3% the previous year. The report cited a lack of practical skills, weak communication, and outdated curricula as key reasons behind the fall. The situation is worse in technical education. India produces nearly 9 lakh engineering graduates every year, yet more than half struggle to find employment in core or relevant industries , a long-standing issue flagged in reports by the AICTE and data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24 shows a striking contrast:Unemployment among graduates is estimated at 29.1%,While illiterate youth have an unemployment rate of just 3.4%. THE TOPPERS' TRAPSo, how did we get here?The Indian education system, especially in public and traditional universities, still leans heavily on memory-based testing and theoretical knowledge. Real-world application, internships, communication, collaboration, and adaptability skills most in demand today are often missing from syllabi. In her viral post, Swati pointed to this gap:"We are pushed to memorise. Not to practice."REAL VOICES, REAL FRUSTRATIONSAnother LinkedIn post that caught public attention was by Lovish Anand, who shared findings from the same Mettl report, stating: "Indian degrees are not useless. But when only 42.6% of grads are employable, we can't just keep blaming students. Institutions must evolve. His post triggered wide engagement from educators and hiring managers alike, many agreeing that "gold medals don't guarantee job readiness anymore."A CURRICULUM FROZEN IN TIMEA 2022 report from India Today on Youth Skill Day showed that over 60% of employers feel graduates lack soft skills, and over 50% feel students are poorly trained in practical industry tools. As a result, many companies now hire based on skills-first assessments rather than just academic scores. This trend has been amplified by the rise of skilling platforms and bootcamps, such as Scaler, Masai School, and upGrad, which are offering intensive, job-focused 'MERIT'advertisementTo be clear, merit still matters-but it needs a serious a "topper" today doesn't automatically imply employability unless it's paired with practical exposure, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. Institutions across India are slowly waking up to this:The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 proposes a multidisciplinary, skill-based private universities like Ashoka, Shiv Nadar, and FLAME already integrate experiential learning into their in most public institutions-where the bulk of India's youth are enrolled-rote learning remains the dominant currency. India's obsession with academic medals has created an ecosystem where students chase marks over meaning, memory over mastery. But employers aren't impressed world is asking: Can you solve a problem? Communicate your idea? Work with a team? And for that, a gold medal just isn't enough.- Ends
Business Standard
18-06-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
NEX IVF Strengthens Patna's Position as a Hub for Advanced Fertility Solutions
VMPL New Delhi [India], June 18: As awareness and acceptance of assisted reproductive technologies have increased, the need and demand for specialized fertility care have risen in the capital of Bihar, Patna. In this new environment, specialized medical institutions are instrumental in closing the gap between high-tech treatment and availability. One of the elements of such change is NEX IVF & Fertility Centre, which was launched by senior consultant Dr. Swati Mishra, who has more than 15 years of clinical experience in the field of gynecology, obstetrics, and the management of infertility issues. Dr. Swati Mishra is a graduate of RIMS Ranchi with a DNB in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and she also received training in IVF protocols, laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, and reproductive sonology. It is not only the scholarship that has marked her medical path but also exposure to the practical aspects of the job at premier institutes such as KHFH Patna and Prachi Hospital Odisha, where she trained in endoscopy. She has published several research papers on national platforms over the years and has contributed to medical journals, which makes her one of the voices of authority on the subject of reproductive health in women. The facilities at NEX IVF are in tandem with the present universal standards in fertility services. The facility, which has an advanced embryology laboratory equipped and built according to Class 10,000 air quality standards, provides precision-based procedures such as ERA, MACS, PGT-A, PGT-M, and NICS. These advancements have improved the success rate of treatments, especially for patients who had consistently experienced IVF failures. According to medical onlookers, these developments place the center among the elite IVF centers in Patna, combining clinical excellence with patient-focused care. The unique factor about NEX is that it focuses on both transparent medical communication and ethical treatment pathways, which are frequently mentioned among the primary reasons for rising patient trust. The center serves a broad range of reproductive problems, including IUI, IVF, ICSI, recurrent pregnancy loss management, and pre-conception genetic counseling. These are in addition to the minimally invasive surgical procedures such as laparoscopy and hysteroscopy, which affirm its status as a super-speciality IVF center in Patna. The patients, too, have acknowledged the unwavering emphasis on individual programs under the care of Dr. Swati Mishra. She is scientifically accurate and at the same time compassionate in approaching sensitive fertility journeys, which makes her a reliable guide for individuals or couples seeking long-term solutions. Even though the city is still emerging as a medical tourism location, analysts see facilities such as NEX IVF & Fertility Centre as a means of transforming the approach to reproductive health in Eastern India. To most people in the area and beyond, the center is increasingly being recognized as one of the best IVF centers in Patna Bihar, not just in terms of numbers, but in terms of the quality, ethics, and result-oriented approach it employs in the profession.
The Print
18-06-2025
- Health
- The Print
NEX IVF Strengthens Patna's Position as a Hub for Advanced Fertility Solutions
New Delhi [India], June 18: As awareness and acceptance of assisted reproductive technologies have increased, the need and demand for specialized fertility care have risen in the capital of Bihar, Patna. In this new environment, specialized medical institutions are instrumental in closing the gap between high-tech treatment and availability. One of the elements of such change is NEX IVF & Fertility Centre, which was launched by senior consultant Dr. Swati Mishra, who has more than 15 years of clinical experience in the field of gynecology, obstetrics, and the management of infertility issues. Dr. Swati Mishra is a graduate of RIMS Ranchi with a DNB in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and she also received training in IVF protocols, laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, and reproductive sonology. It is not only the scholarship that has marked her medical path but also exposure to the practical aspects of the job at premier institutes such as KHFH Patna and Prachi Hospital Odisha, where she trained in endoscopy. She has published several research papers on national platforms over the years and has contributed to medical journals, which makes her one of the voices of authority on the subject of reproductive health in women. The facilities at NEX IVF are in tandem with the present universal standards in fertility services. The facility, which has an advanced embryology laboratory equipped and built according to Class 10,000 air quality standards, provides precision-based procedures such as ERA, MACS, PGT-A, PGT-M, and NICS. These advancements have improved the success rate of treatments, especially for patients who had consistently experienced IVF failures. According to medical onlookers, these developments place the center among the elite IVF centers in Patna, combining clinical excellence with patient-focused care. The unique factor about NEX is that it focuses on both transparent medical communication and ethical treatment pathways, which are frequently mentioned among the primary reasons for rising patient trust. The center serves a broad range of reproductive problems, including IUI, IVF, ICSI, recurrent pregnancy loss management, and pre-conception genetic counseling. These are in addition to the minimally invasive surgical procedures such as laparoscopy and hysteroscopy, which affirm its status as a super-speciality IVF center in Patna. The patients, too, have acknowledged the unwavering emphasis on individual programs under the care of Dr. Swati Mishra. She is scientifically accurate and at the same time compassionate in approaching sensitive fertility journeys, which makes her a reliable guide for individuals or couples seeking long-term solutions. Even though the city is still emerging as a medical tourism location, analysts see facilities such as NEX IVF & Fertility Centre as a means of transforming the approach to reproductive health in Eastern India. To most people in the area and beyond, the center is increasingly being recognized as one of the best IVF centers in Patna Bihar, not just in terms of numbers, but in terms of the quality, ethics, and result-oriented approach it employs in the profession. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
India Today
17-06-2025
- General
- India Today
Goodbye pencils, hello pens: The class VI moment we all waited for
For many of us who grew up in the '80s, '90s, or early 2000s, growing up didn't come with a grand declaration. It came quietly, in the middle of a school day, wrapped in an unexpected announcement from a teacher: "From tomorrow, you all can start using pens."It wasn't just a rule change; it was a transformation. One moment, we were chewing the ends of HB pencils and begging for sharper erasers; the next, we were clutching leaky Hero fountain pens or shiny Reynolds 045s, feeling older, more responsible, and just a little bit powerful. advertisementThere was something beautifully irreversible about ink. Unlike pencil marks, you couldn't just rub your mistake away you had to live with it, scribble it out, or (if you were brave) use a correction pen and hope no one noticed. It felt like the world was trusting us with something serious. "I remember coming home with an ink-stained pocket and my mom just gave me that look," laughs Ankur Gupta, 36, now a lawyer. "She didn't say anything at first - just handed me a lemon to scrub it out. That was my first lesson in pen responsibility."THE PRESTIGE OF PENS advertisement In those days, your pen wasn't just a writing instrument; it was a social marker. Fountain pens were considered intellectual, even noble. Ballpoints were dependable. Gel pens were cool. And if you had a Parker pen gifted by an uncle abroad or handed down from your father, you were fights were a real thing during free periods, and so was pen envy. Kids would show off glitter pens with coloured ink and scent, or the magical four-in-one pen with buttons for red, blue, green, and black."I used to trade my lunch for someone's Add Gel pen for a day," says Swati Mishra, 34, a school teacher. "That smooth glide? Worth every bite of aloo paratha." We kept our pens in pencil pouches as if they were fine jewellery. Some of us even had 'lucky pens' for exams, and there was heartbreak when they ran out of ink mid-paper. The classic blue-ink eraser - that two-toned terror - promised miracles but usually left torn paper and YOUR WORDS (AND MISTAKES) More than anything, pens made us feel mature. They taught us to be careful, to write neatly, to mean what we said because there was no going back. The shift from pencil to pen was an early brush with the permanence of adulthood. "That first pen gave me a weird confidence," recalls Rashmi Nair, 37, a communications manager. "I wasn't just writing notes. I was telling the world I was ready - for responsibility, for mistakes, for all of it." We live in a digital world now, where children swipe before they scribble. But for a certain generation, pens marked the start of something bigger. A messy, meaningful, ink-stained journey into growing up. Picture credit: Generative AI by Vani Gupta
