Last Thursday an Indian expatriate couple were blessed with twins who were born by ART — Assisted Reproductive Technology — most commonly known as Test Tube Baby. Dr. Sajira Jafar Punathil, a gynecologist and fertility specialist, became the first Indian doctor to perform a successful caesarean delivery through the IVF procedure. In Vitro Fertilization, or ‘in glass' fertilization in Saudi Arabia. ART was introduced in Saudi Arabia in 1986. Dr. Sajira explained the IVF procedure, which took nine months at an expenditure of SR12,000. The parents, who hail from Kerala state in India, had longed for a child for the past eight years. The miraculous birth of healthy twin babies was the happiest event in the couple's life. “It is simply God's answer to our prayers, and we have our immense thanks to Dr. Sajira,” said the father. Professor Hassan S. Jamal, director of the IVF, Obs. & Gynaecology Department in King Abdul Aziz University hospital in Jeddah, applauded Dr. Sajira and wished her more success and great achievements. Dr. Manish Banker, who successfully trained Dr. Sajira in ART technology, also sent a congratulatory note. In 1978, the first Test Tube baby was born in England. Since 1986, hundreds of thousands of such babies have been born, assisted by the ART technology method. Dr. Sajira said, “An increasing number of parents are taking interest in the IVF technology”, which is expressed in hundreds of daily visits to her website by parents asking countless questions regarding the methodology. __
