At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and inspiring stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Dr. Nishtha Handa for an exclusive interview with us. Dr. Nishtha is an Obstetrician, Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist. Let’s learn more about her inspiring journey, teaching philosophy, and valuable insights.
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Dr. Nishtha:
What inspired you to specialise in reproductive medicine and fertility care, and how has your journey shaped the way you support patients today?
During my training in obstetrics and gynaecology, I experienced every aspect of the speciality: labour rooms, emergency surgeries, sleepless nights, and high-pressure situations. While I deeply respect that work, I gradually realized that my heart was somewhere else.
Reproductive medicine gave me the opportunity to build long-term relationships with patients rather than meeting them only during emergencies. It is certainly a demanding field, but in a different way. It allows me to spend more time understanding a couple’s story, planning their treatment, and supporting them emotionally throughout their journey.
What truly drew me to fertility care is how incredibly rewarding it is. Very few professions allow you to help someone fulfil one of the biggest dreams of their life to become a parent. Seeing someone who has struggled for years finally hear a heartbeat on an ultrasound or hold their baby in their arms is a feeling that’s difficult to put into words.
The gratitude in this field is immense. Patients don’t just remember the treatment they remember that you stood by them during one of the most vulnerable chapters of their lives. For me, that’s what makes this profession so meaningful, and it’s why I wake up excited to go to work every day.
Many couples delay seeking fertility advice due to fear, stigma, or misinformation. What signs indicate that it may be the right time to consult a fertility specialist?
One of the biggest mistakes I see is that couples wait too long because they think, “It’ll happen eventually,” or they’re afraid of what they might hear. My advice is simple: don’t wait until hope turns into years of frustration.
If you’re under 35 and have been trying to conceive for one year without success, or over 35 and it has been six months, it’s time to consult a fertility specialist. Couples should seek help even earlier if there are concerns such as irregular periods, PCOS, endometriosis, recurrent miscarriages, very painful periods, a history of pelvic infections or surgeries, or if the male partner has experienced issues like low sperm count or testicular surgery.
I also want to address one of the biggest misconceptions that visiting a fertility clinic automatically means you’ll need IVF. That simply isn’t true. Many couples only need reassurance, a few basic investigations, lifestyle modifications, or simple medications. IVF is just one treatment option, not the starting point for everyone.
Seeking help early isn’t a sign of failure it’s one of the smartest decisions you can make. The earlier we identify a problem, the more treatment options we usually have, and often, the better the outcomes. Fertility has a biological clock, but knowledge shouldn’t.
IVF is often surrounded by myths and misconceptions. What are some of the most common misunderstandings you encounter, and what would you like people to know instead?
One of the biggest misconceptions is that IVF is the solution to every fertility problem. It isn’t. Many couples conceive with much simpler treatments after receiving the right diagnosis and guidance. IVF is an important tool in reproductive medicine, but it’s certainly not the answer for everyone.
Another common myth is that IVF guarantees pregnancy. I wish it were that simple. IVF significantly improves the chances of conception for many couples, but success depends on several factors, including age, egg quality, sperm quality, and the underlying medical condition. We can maximize the chances, but no doctor can honestly guarantee an outcome.
There’s also a persistent belief that babies born through IVF are somehow different. That’s completely false. IVF babies are just as healthy, loved, and capable as any other child. The only difference is how fertilization occurred.
Many couples also worry they’ll be pressured into IVF the moment they visit a fertility clinic. In reality, our first responsibility is to understand why pregnancy isn’t happening. Sometimes the right solution is treating a hormonal imbalance, helping with ovulation, or recommending intrauterine insemination (IUI). Good fertility care is about choosing the least invasive treatment that offers the best chance of success.
Finally, infertility is not solely a woman’s issue. Around half of infertility cases involve male factors, either alone or alongside female factors. Fertility is a shared journey, and both partners deserve evaluation, support, and compassion.
At the end of the day, I want people to replace fear with facts. Fertility treatment isn’t about selling IVF; it’s about helping people build the family they dream of using the approach that’s right for them.
Fertility treatment can be emotionally as well as physically demanding. How do you approach patient care beyond the purely medical aspects of treatment?
I genuinely believe that treating infertility isn’t just about treating ovaries, sperm, or hormones; it’s about treating people.
By the time most couples reach us, they’ve often spent years carrying disappointment, guilt, and anxiety.
One patient, in particular, has stayed with me. She was very young but had a severely diminished ovarian reserve. Despite multiple stimulation cycles, we couldn’t create embryos. I still remember the conversations that followed. In a single day, I witnessed almost every stage of grief.
First came disbelief, then anger, followed by bargaining as she asked whether we could somehow try one more cycle. Eventually, she broke down not only because of the failed treatment, but because she feared losing her marriage after believing she would never be able to have a child.
That experience reminded me that fertility specialists don’t simply deal with biology; we deal with heartbreak, hope, and healing.
I often tell my patients, “We’ll celebrate the good days together, and on the difficult days, you won’t have to face them alone.” I don’t just want to be remembered as the doctor who performed an IVF cycle. I want to be remembered as the doctor who made one of the most difficult phases of their life a little easier to navigate.
How have advancements in reproductive medicine changed the possibilities for individuals and couples facing fertility challenges today?
Reproductive medicine is advancing at an extraordinary pace.
Today, we have fertility preservation through egg and embryo freezing, advanced genetic testing that can reduce the risk of passing on inherited disorders, and options like donor eggs, donor sperm, and surrogacy that have opened doors for many individuals and couples who previously had no pathway to parenthood.
Artificial intelligence is also beginning to play an important role by assisting with embryo assessment and supporting clinical decision-making, making fertility treatments increasingly personalized and potentially improving outcomes.
Research continues to push the boundaries even further. Scientists are exploring the possibility of creating eggs and sperm from skin cells, while advances in reproductive immunology and regenerative medicine may transform how we manage recurrent implantation failure and recurrent pregnancy loss. Although many of these innovations remain under investigation and aren’t yet part of routine clinical practice, they represent an exciting future for fertility care.
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of reproductive medicine is that every few years, something once considered impossible becomes achievable. That progress offers hope to patients who may once have been told they had no chance of building a biological family.
Lifestyle, age, stress, and reproductive health are frequently discussed in relation to fertility. Which factors genuinely have the greatest impact, and where does misinformation often arise?
If I had to identify the single most important factor, it would be age.
Age remains the biggest determinant of female fertility, and unfortunately, it’s also the one factor we have the least control over. Many people assume that because pregnancy is still possible in the late thirties or forties, fertility remains unchanged. Biologically, that’s simply not true. Both the quantity and quality of eggs decline with age.
Lifestyle choices certainly matter as well. Smoking, obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, poor sleep, uncontrolled medical conditions, and being significantly underweight can all affect fertility in both men and women.
Stress is frequently blamed as the sole cause of infertility, but that’s another misconception. Stress alone rarely causes infertility. However, infertility itself can create tremendous emotional stress, which may indirectly affect overall health and well-being.
One of the biggest sources of misinformation today is social media, where miracle diets, supplements, and home remedies are often promoted as fertility boosters. While maintaining a healthy lifestyle is beneficial, there is no magic food or supplement capable of reversing age-related fertility decline or replacing proper medical evaluation.
My advice is always to trust evidence-based medicine rather than internet myths.
Your message, “If it’s taking time, it’s okay to seek the right help,” is both reassuring and empowering. What would you say to someone who is struggling silently or hesitant to take the first step toward fertility evaluation?
I would tell them that asking for help is not admitting defeat it’s taking the first step toward finding a solution.
Infertility is a medical condition, not a personal failure, and there should never be shame in seeking evaluation.
I remember a young patient who was only 27 years old and had a very low ovarian reserve due to premature ovarian insufficiency. We successfully created embryos through IVF, but when it came time to proceed with treatment, she wanted to postpone everything for another year or two because she couldn’t accept undergoing IVF at such a young age.
My greatest concern wasn’t the IVF itself; it was that she might lose the opportunity to become a mother because of the stigma attached to fertility treatment.
That conversation has stayed with me. We need to normalize fertility care and stop treating IVF as something people should hide or feel embarrassed about.
Most importantly, no one has to face this journey alone. Don’t spend years blaming yourself or trying every home remedy while precious time slips away. Seek help early, ask questions, and remember that there is always hope. Sometimes, the hardest step is simply walking into a fertility clinic, but it may also be the step that changes your life forever.
Looking ahead, what is your vision for the future of fertility care in India, particularly in terms of accessibility, awareness, personalised treatment, and reducing stigma?
My vision is for fertility care in India to become more accessible, more affordable, and completely free from stigma.
One incident that has stayed with me involved a patient who shared that her neighbour referred to her as “baanjh” as though infertility defined her identity. No one should ever have to carry that kind of emotional burden because of a medical condition.
We must change the way society talks about infertility. It’s not a woman’s fault, it’s not something to be ashamed of, and it should never become a label that defines an individual.
At the same time, fertility treatment needs to become more affordable. Although reproductive medicine has made extraordinary technological advances, many families still find treatment financially out of reach.
I hope to see private insurance companies begin covering infertility evaluation and at least part of fertility treatments, including IVF, because infertility is a recognised medical condition, not a lifestyle choice. Financial limitations should never prevent someone from having the opportunity to build a family.
Alongside increased awareness, personalized treatment, and scientific innovation, I hope we create a future where people seek fertility care without shame, without unnecessary delays, and without fear of judgment or financial hardship. That, to me, is what truly compassionate fertility care should look like.
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