Bringing new life

Rarely does a book launch witness such a huge turnout,as did the launch of fertility expert,Dr Firuza Parikh’s The Complete Guide to Becoming Pregnant,held in Mumbai on Saturday. The book was launched by Nita Ambani,who came along with husband Mukesh and mother-in-law Kokilaben. It was a star-studded event,which saw director Farah Khan talk openly about her experience of conceiving at an advanced age at the discussion which followed the launch. Also present was Aamir Khan,with wife Kiran Rao. The actor was moderating the event and asked — jokingly,we hope — if men could get pregnant.

Parikh,on her part,proudly informed us that it was not just celebrities who came to the launch but also many representatives of the medical profession and her patients from all across India. “When celebrities talk about certain issues,they tend to get highlighted,” says Parikh,“That’s when people realise that its okay for them too to discuss problems like infertility. There’s such stigma still attached to it in our country,but I’m glad more people are willing to discuss it openly. When someone of Farah Khan’s stature talks about it on an open forum,it really helps the cause.” The doctor spoke at length about the need to address fertility openly and also discussed her work in the Kashmir Valley,where many girls are suffering from premature menopause. “Some of them are hitting menopause at as young an age as 15. We’re working to identify the girls who are at risk of this and helping them complete their reproductive cycle.”

The book is meant to be the layman’s guide to the reproductive cycle and pregnancy. “It’s been written in a straightforward,clear manner and we’ve included the real life experiences of people,” informs Parikh.