TA invests in India fertility business

Indira IVF was founded in 1988 in Udaipur, and currently manages 59 centers across 16 states, claiming to have completed nearly 27,000 in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles in the last 12 months. The company offers a range of services for both Indian and overseas clients, including sperm and egg preservation, laser assisted hatching, and several forms of assisted fertilization and implantation.

“IVF is a large and fast-growing opportunity in India that we believe has the ability to make a lasting positive impact on the lives of millions of people,” said Naresh Patwari, a director at TA, in a statement. “We look forward to working with Dr. Ajay Murdia and the management team at Indira IVF to help them continue their growth efforts in India and in international markets, and to help them offer additional adjacent clinical services.”

In spite of having the world’s second-largest population, India is facing a fertility crisis. According to the United Nations, the birth rate fell from 4.97 children per woman in 1975 to 2.3 in 2015, and is projected to drop below the replacement rate of 2.2 by 2025.

The Indian Society of Assisted Reproduction (ISAR) reported in 2017 that nearly 27.5 million couples in India had sought treatment for infertility, with as much as 15% of the country’s population believed to have trouble conceiving children. Lifestyle changes, including rising levels of obesity among both men and women, have been blamed for the decline, along with environmental factors such as pollution.

India’s public hospitals offer treatment for infertility, but the facilities have been criticized for being underequipped to meet the growing demand. As with the broader Indian healthcare market, investors see an opportunity for private operators to pick up the slack.

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• Topics
• South Asia
• Healthcare
• Expansion
• India
• TA Associates
• Growth capital