Parents opted for IVF to prevent thalassemia in daughter:Second child delivered; 3-year-old donates bone marrow to sister

A couple from Indore, Manish Patel and Sneha Patel, faced years of fear and struggle as their elder daughter needed blood transfusions every three to four weeks. Every report brought new anxiety and one constant worry: would their child ever live a normal life? Even during the COVID pandemic, they took a brave step. Using IVF and advanced genetic technology, they decided to have another child who could help save their elder daughter. After many treatments and attempts, their younger daughter was born. But the challenge continued. The parents waited three years for her to grow enough to become a bone marrow donor. Finally, the little sister successfully helped cure her elder sister from thalassemia. This story highlights courage, hope, and the power of modern medical science. Let’s know the full story of their wait and struggle for their daughter’s new life Serious illness surfaced 45 days after birth The case is about eight-year-old Kyra from Indore, who was suffering from Thalassemia Major since birth. Doctors identified this disease when she was just 45 days old. Since then, she had to receive regular blood transfusions every three to four weeks. Thalassemia is a serious genetic disease in which the body cannot produce enough healthy haemoglobin. In this disease, the patient needs blood transfusions throughout life, and its permanent cure is only bone marrow transplant. However, the biggest challenge in Kyra’s case was that no suitable bone marrow donor was found in the family. In such a situation, the family felt that the path to saving their daughter was almost closed. A courageous decision taken during the COVID period To save their daughter’s life, Manish Patel and Sneha Patel contacted Dr. Kalyani Shrimali, a fertility expert from Indore, in November 2020. Doctors informed them about the possibility of a ‘savior sibling’ through IVF and advanced genetic testing. Through this technique, an embryo is selected that is free from disease and is genetically suitable to be a bone marrow donor for the patient. This procedure is considered one of the most advanced and precise techniques in medical science. Three attempts, 11 embryos and just one hope Yuvika’s birth becomes a turning point in Kyra’s life After a successful embryo transfer, Sneha Patel conceived and gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Yuvika, in August 2023. As advised by the doctors, the family patiently waited for three years for Yuvika’s physical development to complete. After this, her HLA test was done again, which confirmed that she was completely healthy and could be a bone marrow donor for Kyra. Subsequently, a team of expert doctors performed Kyra’s bone marrow transplant. The transplant was successful, and now Kyra no longer needs blood transfusions. At the age of eight, she is now living a normal life, free from thalassemia. Doctors Say – IVF now effective in treating genetic diseases too Biswanath Ganguly, Chief Operating Officer of IVF Fertility, stated that the entire treatment was carried out under safe and ethical fertility care. Fertility expert Dr Kalyani Shrimali said that this journey was extremely challenging both medically and emotionally. She explained that this case proves that IVF is not limited to treating infertility, but can also play a significant role in controlling and treating genetic diseases. She advised couples that before planning a pregnancy, they should definitely undergo carrier screening for genetic diseases like thalassemia. Accepted every challenge to save our daughter For parents Manish and Sneha Patel, this journey was emotionally very difficult. They said that planning treatment and preventing infection during the COVID era was a big challenge. Kaira’s innocent face always stayed before our eyes. We knew we had to do everything possible to protect her. Seeing her healthy today feels like a miracle.Sneha Patel says