The National Commission for Women (NCW) has formed a high-level expert committee to review regulations for IVF clinics and assisted reproductive technology (ART) centres following a Gurugram case where a couple’s DNA test showed their IVF-conceived twins were not biologically theirs.
The committee, led by former Delhi High Court judge Justice Asha Menon, includes experts from judiciary, medicine, forensic science, law enforcement, gynaecology, public policy, and the Union Health Ministry. It will assess the implementation of the ART (Regulation) Act, 2021, the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, and the 2026 amendment rules.
Concerns over IVF sector irregularities
The NCW highlighted issues such as unethical practices, medical tourism, circumvention of legal safeguards (including sex selection), lack of uniform protocols, financial exploitation, and weak oversight in the IVF sector. The panel will evaluate existing safeguards on informed consent, privacy, and biological traceability, identify regulatory gaps, and propose reforms.
It will also develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and best-practice guidelines to improve transparency, ethical standards, and clinical consistency across IVF and ART centres. The recommendations aim to strengthen governance while protecting the rights and safety of women undergoing fertility treatment in India, where infertility affects an estimated 2.8 crore people and 3 to 3.5 lakh IVF cycles occur annually.
Financial strain and the Gurugram case
A government report noted that nearly nine out of 10 couples undergoing IVF face significant financial strain. India’s IVF market, dominated by private providers, often results in final costs exceeding advertised prices by 30 to 60 per cent.
In Gurugram, Rahul Rathore and his wife alleged their twin daughters, born via IVF in January 2026, were not biologically theirs after a DNA test. They suspect embryo or sample mix-up during treatment at a reputed hospital. Police initially refused to register their complaint, but an FIR was filed on March 31 after court intervention. The couple is seeking answers about their biological children and has urged authorities to investigate IVF records.
