Celebrating World IVF Day : The Journey of Parenthood
There are moments in medicine that transcend science.
The first cry of a newborn.
The tiny fingers wrapping around a parent’s hand.
The tears that silently roll down a mother’s face as she finally whispers, “You’re here.”
On World IVF Day, we celebrate not just a medical breakthrough, but something far greater—the extraordinary resilience of the human heart.
For many, becoming a parent happens naturally. For others, it becomes a journey marked by unanswered questions, countless hospital visits, blood tests, procedures, moments of hope, and moments of heartbreak.
As healthcare professionals, we often witness only a small part of that journey.
But behind every IVF success story lies a story that few people truly see.
It is the couple who quietly leaves a family gathering because they cannot answer another question about when they will have children.
It is the woman who smiles for everyone while grieving another unsuccessful cycle.
It is the father who stays strong, even when his own heart is breaking.
It is the countless prayers whispered in silence.
It is hope refusing to give up.
And when that long-awaited positive pregnancy test finally arrives, it brings immense joy—but it also brings new emotions.
Excitement.
Gratitude.
Relief.
And often, fear.
After investing so much emotionally and physically, many parents begin to worry about every little movement, every scan, every doctor’s appointment.
Their love begins long before they ever meet their baby.
Over the past three decades, I have had the privilege of walking alongside families through many stages of parenthood. One lesson has stayed with me throughout this journey:
Every child deserves to be welcomed not only with advanced medical care, but with understanding, confidence, and compassion.
Pregnancy is not merely about waiting for a baby to arrive.
It is a time when parents themselves are being born.
Every conversation they have.
Every emotion they experience.
Every reassurance they receive.
Every moment of connection they build with their baby—all of these become part of the beautiful story that begins even before birth.
As a Prenatal and Perinatal Educator, I often encourage parents to think beyond the due date.
Talk to your baby.
Read stories aloud.
Listen to calming music.
Take care of your emotional wellbeing.
Celebrate the little milestones.
Prepare not only the nursery, but your heart.
Because babies may not remember the words we speak during pregnancy, but they are nurtured by the environment of love, calm, and connection that surrounds them.
I believe that supporting a child begins long before the child walks through our doors.
It begins with empowering parents.
It begins with reducing fear.
It begins with replacing uncertainty with knowledge.
It begins with reminding families that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
On this World IVF Day, I also want to acknowledge every fertility specialist, embryologist, nurse, counsellor, and healthcare professional who dedicates themselves to making dreams come true.
Your work creates families.
And to every parent who has walked—or is still walking—the IVF journey, I want to say this:
Please don’t measure your strength by how easily your journey unfolded.
Measure it by how much love you carried through every setback.
Your story is not defined by the path you took to parenthood.
It is defined by the love that brought your child into the world.
Because a child conceived through IVF is not “different.”
A child conceived through IVF is simply, beautifully, deeply wanted.
Perhaps that is the greatest reminder World IVF Day offers us.
That science can create possibilities.
But it is love that creates a family.
Today, let us celebrate every family built through courage.
Every dream that refused to fade.
Every tiny heartbeat that once seemed impossible.
And every child who reminds us that hope has a remarkable way of finding its way home.
Happy World IVF Day.
With love and hope,
Dr. Snehal Deshpande
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