Rapid Fire
IVF in Vegetative State
- 16 Apr 2026
- 2 min read
The Delhi High Court upheld a woman’s right to continue In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) with an Indian Army soldier in a vegetative state (disorder of consciousness), holding that his prior consent remains valid despite his current medical condition.
- Constitutional Rights: The soldier's wife approached the court to resume the IVF treatment, invoking her right to motherhood, dignity, and reproductive autonomy under Article 21 (Right to Life)
- Delhi High Court Ruling on Consent: The court stated that under the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, the wife's consent will legally be treated as valid consent on her husband's behalf in this unique situation.
- Despite the medical board noting a "meagre" chance of retrieving viable sperm, the court allowed the procedure.
In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
- It is one of the most widely used Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) for treating infertility, where a woman’s eggs are fertilized with sperm outside the body in a laboratory, and the resulting embryo is transferred into the uterus to achieve pregnancy.
- In India, ART services are regulated under the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, which sets standards for clinics, donation, and cryopreservation, while under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), financial support is provided through reimbursement for IVF cycles subject to eligibility conditions.
| Read more: In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) Technology |
