Several doctors, two years later and still with no bundle of joy to show, a couple from India decided to turn to a Singaporean specialist for help. Across much of modern-day India today, starting a family immediately after marriage remains very much the number one priority. Any delay, as one couple discovered, only serves to illicit pressured reminders from relatives and friends.

“When we were married in 2006, everyone wanted to know when our baby was arriving. Of course we too desired a child and were trying hard but somehow, my wife couldn’t conceive,” reveals 33-year old technical specialist Ditto David.

Hailing from the city of Kerala, on the tropical Malabar Coast of south-western India, Ditto’s 23-year old wife Linta Davis saw several doctors, initially for her failure to conceive and later, for another problem that emerged.

Ditto informs, “She was experiencing irregular periods for about three months and then it stopped completely. After some tests, one doctor diagnosed polycystic ovarian disease and gave her some medicine. It appeared to help but three months later, her period stopped again.”

Polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) is a condition where patients have immature eggs and because of this, do not ovulate regularly. Under such circumstances, conception is not easy to achieve.

Determined, Linta, a homemaker, kept to every appointment and took her medication religiously but by early 2008, after almost two years, her condition had not improved.

As both sank into desperation, Ditto admits he was finding it increasingly difficult to hold back his emotions each time his wife wept over her inability to bare him a child.

A lucky posting

Although the couple continued to try for a baby, it was getting harder as time went by.

“One day when I went to see my company doctor, I brought up my wife’s problem. He sensed my desperation and suggested I bring her to Singapore to see a top specialist whom he knew.”

The specialist was Dr Christopher Chong, a well-respected obstetrician, gynaecologist and urogynaecologist from the renowned GleneaglesHospital.

After doing some research, Ditto was highly impressed not only with Dr Chong’s credentials but also by the high standard of medical care in the island-state. It did not take long for him to make the necessary arrangements and on 4 February 2008, Ditto walked into Dr Chong’s clinic with a hopeful Linta by his side.

An expert’s strategy

Outlining the mechanics of conception to help the couple understand their situation, Dr Chong also explained his plans for them.

He discloses, “It was not unlike a counselling session because it was important to cover the psychosocial aspect of helping them reduce the stress factor which is an important cause of sub-fertility.”

Investigations were then carried out to uncover the cause of Linta’s oligomennorrhoea or lack of periods. On top of the test results from the Indian doctors, additional blood tests for hormonal profiling and ultrasound scans were done. Dr Chong then prescribed his own concoction of medication.

He shares, “The idea was to get her to ovulate, monitor her ovulation and to provide a medium for better swimming of the sperm to meet the eggs. The medication was designed for this, with the added advantage of helping her lose a little weight since she was on the obese side.”

Besides an ovulation kit, Linta was given fertility pills to take during her stay in Singapore. Dr Chong also prescribed some vitamins for Ditto to promote healthy sperm production.

Sooner than expected

During her check-up a month later, Linta had still not had her period. She was disappointed and close to giving up, thinking that the latest treatment had also failed to work. Not surprisingly, she needed some coaxing before agreeing to take a pregnancy test. However, unlike on numerous occasions previously, the news this time was pure delight.

Dr Chong recounts, “It was a touching moment when the test showed positive for pregnancy. Both husband and wife sobbed in my clinic and for me, it was another reason why my job can be such a fulfilling and satisfying one.”

Ditto, who is the oldest son in his family, emotes, “It was a miracle. We could hardly believe it. We immediately called home to tell our parents and they were overjoyed. It was an amazing moment.”

“Dr Chong was very calm, patient and sympathetic. He gave us confidence when all the other doctors back home failed to and he made us feel comfortable. The equipment and expertise in Singapore is really world-standard.”

Eighteen weeks later, Linta was given a clean bill of health to return to India to deliver her baby.

“We used to cry often because she could not get pregnant. Nowadays, we cry whenever we talk about our baby,” confesses Ditto.

“Though our baby will be born back home in India, we can proudly say that he (or she) was made in Singapore.”

For more information about Chris Chong Women and Urogynae Clinic at GleneaglesHospital (www.gleneagles.com.sg), call (65) 6474-3031.

About Polycystic Ovarian Disease

A woman's ovaries have follicles, which are tiny sacs filled with liquid that hold the eggs. Although about 20 eggs start to mature every month, only one usually becomes dominant and fully matures. At this point (ovulation), the follicle breaks open to release the egg for fertilisation.

In women with PCOD, the follicles instead grow into fluid-filled cysts and no mature egg is released. Ovulation as such, does not occur. Thus with each menstruation cycle, these cysts accumulate and facilitate hormonal imbalances, which result in more cysts, thus sustaining a vicious cycle.

Although some cysts will subside, many remain inside the ovaries. Such hormonal imbalances create irregular (or no) menstruation in women, making them susceptible to infertility problems.

Diagnosis usually encompasses a history of menstrual cycles and a vaginal ultrasound to look for enlarged ovaries. Blood tests are also helpful in measuring the levels of hormones, in particular androgen (male hormone) and oestrogen. Excessive levels of the former can lead to acne and an abnormal amount of body and facial hair, among other symptoms.

Though there is no cure for PCOD, it can be managed. Treatments depend very much on the symptoms of each patient and their desire to conceive, in which case, fertility medication may be prescribed to enhance ovulation. Care however, must be taken to ensure that a woman’s ovaries are not over-stimulated to an extent which is detrimental to her health.

Since many women with PCOD tend to have a weight problem, a healthy diet and increased physical activity to lose weight may help restore a normal period.

PCOD, sometimes referred to as PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) is the most common hormonal abnormality in women of reproductive age and is a leading cause of infertility. Not much is understood about the causes of PCOD though many suggest a strong genetic link. An estimated five to 10 percent of women of childbearing age are believed to have the condition