Mumbai's first test-tube baby Harsha Chavda-Shah is now a mother

Thirty years after she made history, Mumbai’s first test-tube baby, Harsha Chavda-Shah, delivered a baby boy on Monday at Jaslok Hospital, reported The Hindu. Harsha and husband Divyapal were able to conceive naturally and did not need any artificial assistance. The baby boy was delivered using Cesarean-section by the same team of doctors who helped Harsha’s parents conceive her using in vitro fertilisation techniques in 1986. Harsha’s pregnancy also showed that test-tube babies can conceive normally. “In Harsha’s case, we had to do a C-section because it indicated a breach presentation,” said infertility specialist, Dr Indira Hinduja.

Harsha and Divyapal told The Times Of India, that the baby, born on the auspicious day of Shivratri, was a gift from God. “I am God’s gift and I believe my baby is also special,” said the mother in a feeble voice, still recovering from the surgery at Jaslok Hospital. “My baby is a blessing for me and there are no words to explain what I feel at this moment,” said Harsha. The jubilant couple said they had not had time to name the child.

Dr Hinduja said it felt like life has come a full circle for her team. “I remember the day Harsha was born. Her parents were on top of the world and so were we. Today Harsha can feel that. She delivered a healthy baby weighing 3.18 kilos,” said the doctor. “It is hard to believe that we have delivered more than 15,000 test-tube babies since that day,” said the doctor. Over the years, Harsha and her medical creators have become a part of each other’s lives, sharing every occasion and achievement. “It is but natural that she chose us to deliver her baby,” said Dr Kusum Zaveri, who was a part of both deliveries.

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