AHMEDABAD: In a tragic incident, a woman in Piplaj of Anand died a day after giving birth to a son.
She had tested positive for Covid and the child was delivered after she developed serious complications.
Jalpa Patel gave birth to a baby boy on April 25 and succumbed to coronavirus on April 26.
The son was a precious child born after 12 years of yearning wherein Jalpa had even undergone multiple cycles of IVF treatment.
“When the pandemic struck last year, we stopped all treatment.
Luckily, we conceived naturally.
But the joy was short lived as Jalpa died a day after the delivery.
My only consolation is that she was conscious enough to know she had given birth to a healthy child,” her husband Chetan said.
The couple is already parents to a 13-year old girl who suffers from mild mental retardation.
Family said that Jalpa was keen to have a second child so that when she grows up, there is a sibling guardian to look after her even in their absence.
Ironically, Patel family is faced with a rare situation where the child of elder brother Chetan is left motherless while a surrogate is pregnant with the biological child of younger brother Urvish and his wife Darshana who are based in Australia.
“Jalpa bhabhi had said that even if I cannot travel to India for the birth of our child due to suspended air travel between India and Australia, she would take care of both babies till I come to India,” said Darshna from Australia.
Dr Falguni Bavishi, IVF specialist who is looking after Darshana’s surrogacy treatment, said it is a rare situation created by the pandemic for hopeful mothers.
When the pandemic struck, Urvish’s wife Darshana had come to Ahmedabad in March 2020 for her IVF treatment.
She suffered from adenomyosis, a condition in which endometrial tissue exists within and grows into the uterine wall.
“I was told that due to this condition, my uterus cannot sustain a pregnancy.
I was advised for surrogacy.
We started the treatment and just when the embryos were formed, we had to rush back to Australia as air-travel between the two countries was shut down,” says Darshana.
Darshana is eagerly awaiting for the second wave to ebb out in India.
“We wish to adopt Param as Jalpa bhabhi always said the baby is as much ours as hers,” said Darshna.
“I will be happy to give the baby to my younger brother’s family for adoption so that my younger brother and my son both have a happy life,” said Chetan.