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IRM

Institute of Reproductive Medicine and Women’s Health (IRM&WH) was started in 1999 as the second unit of MMM. Having consistently maintained high clinical and academic standards, it remains one of the leading centres’ of excellence in India.

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The staff believe strongly in honesty, transparency, high-level ethics and that the cure is complete only with good care. We take time to listen to and make our patients feel special. By explaining options, risks and benefits, advantages and disadvantages of their treatment, we empower our patients and their families to make an informed choice. We take every effort to maintain patient confidentiality and privacy.

This is a post-graduate teaching centre with on-going training programmes in Reproductive Medicine and Embryology. We have conducted 19 major annual international conferences with faculty and delegates from across the world.

Our Mission is to provide appropriate care to all and bring the latest breakthroughs in the field of reproductive medicine and women’s health to our patients. Dr. Thankam Varma, PhD,FRCS, FRCOG, is the founder and inspiration behind the institute. Under her able guidance, the unit is well staffed with highly qualified and experienced specialists and allied health professionals.

Assisted Reproduction

We believe in a holistic and ethical approach to deal with all aspects of sub-fertility including third-party reproduction. This is a tertiary centre that receives women from far & wide. We have consistently received good feedback from our patients. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) programme is well supported by four full-time highly skilled consultants and trained embryologists. The following are some of the services that aid couples desiring childbirth to achieve their aspirations: The following are some of the services that aid couples desiring childbirth to achieve their aspirations

  • Intra-uterine insemination (IUI)
  • In vitro fertilisation & embryo transfer (IVF & ET)
  • Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
  • Testicular biopsy (TB)
  • Physiological ICSI (PICSI)
  • Testicular epididymal sperm aspiration (TESA)
  • Percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA)
  • Blastocyst culture and transfer
  • Laser-assisted hatching
  • Frozen embryo transfer
  • Sperm freezing
  • Oocyte freezing
  • Embryo freezing
Obstetric Service

The entire team of skilled and compassionate nurses and doctors care for women throughout their pregnancy, delivery and post-delivery period. All deliveries are attended by neonatologist to give the newborn the best start.

There is a well-organized, state-of-the-art service for both “high-risk” and “low-risk” pregnancies. Health problems may have either existed before the pregnancy or can occur for the first time during pregnancy. Such pregnancies are called “high-risk”. Our unit has a range of facilities and experienced clinicians to successfully manage many different pregnancy complications.

Our Feto-Maternal specialists are skilled in looking after all types of pregnancy complications. They work as a team with doctors from several specialties such as Anaesthesiology, Genetics, Endocrinology, Diabetology, Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Renal Medicine, Microbiology and General Surgery. The hospital has an excellent highly acclaimed paediatric cardiology unit.

Our lab services to provide the internationally accepted standard of care for all pregnancy complications and outstanding support from all the laboratory units such as Blood Bank, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pathology, Cytology and Infection Control team. Facilities for performing genetic tests are available at our hospital itself. We have an excellent pathology service which is valuable when assessing foetus and placenta in pregnancy loss and certain pregnancy complications. Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) as part of IRM&WH ensures that newborns from 24 weeks can be cared for.

Neonatology

Neonatology is the specialty which takes care of the newbornsright from the time of birth. It is a very valuable service, especially in the premature and sick babies.

At IRM&WH, we have a planned approach to pregnancies with risk factors: Obstetrician and Neonatologist are involved in planning and providing optimal care for the new born right from pregnancy at periodic intervals.

Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is equipped with state-of-the-art equipments, meeting all national/international standards. The unit is covered round the clock by trained team of doctors and nurses. Our unit has been successfully managing extremely small newborns. Being a tertiary referral centre in Paediatric Cardiology, we have managed several newborns with congenital heart conditions as a team along with Paediatric Cardiologists.

  • Antenatal counselling
  • Neonatal intensive care
  • Newborn screening (Metabolic + hearing screen)
  • Lactation counselling and assessment
  • Neonatal surgery
  • Neonatal transport services
  • Newborn follow-up clinic
  • Child development clinic
  • New born and childhood vaccination
  • Paediatric clinic

All babies undergo hearing and newborn screening before discharge from the hospital. We have an excellent development clinic to access the progress of babies born too soon or too small or with anomalies. There is an excellent mobile NICU ambulance that can transfer and receive sick babies from the referral hospital to our unit.

Gynaecology

IRM&WH is well equipped with facilities to care for all outpatient and inpatient gynaecological health needs. A well-equipped theatre and postoperative care facilities are available for the various surgical procedures including complex highly specialized operations like pelvic floor reconstruction and oncoplastic surgery. We promote cervical and breast screening for all women as it can help identify changes well before cancer can set in.

We have a wide range of specialist clinics

  • Adolescent gynaecology
  • Pre-conception clinic
  • Menorrhagia clinic
  • Menopause
  • Urogynaecology
  • Endocrinology
  • Oncology
  • Health screening for women and girls
  • Breast Clinic
  • Cancer screening programme & human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination programme

At the IRM&WH, we offer the highest quality of treatments for varied conditions such as Fibroids, Endometriosis, Pelvic pain, Dysfunctional uterine bleeding, Ovarian cysts & PCOS, Fertility Enhancing Laparoscopic surgery, Ectopic Pregnancy, Cervical dysplasia & Cancer, Pelvic organ prolapse, Urinary incontinence and Hysteroscopic procedures. At our institute, we provide an opportunity to the patient to make an informed decision. Our consultants are experienced in the field of gynaecological laparoscopy and hysteroscopy. Our surgeons have been made very competent by the high load of gynaecological laparoscopy and hysteroscopic procedures that take place at our institute.

Advantages of laparoscopy surgery

  • Faster recovery
  • Less morbidity like blood loss, fever
  • Lesser pain
  • Faster return to work

We have the strong backing of a multi-disciplinary team like urologists, surgical gastroenterologists and surgical oncologists. We have dedicated tertiary-level intensive care unit and cardiac care unit which helps us to take on medically complicated patients. With a dedicated anaesthesia team, the pain aspects of any surgery is well taken care of and post operatively patients have a painless recovery.

Urogynaecology

Urogynaecology is a super-specialty taking care of women with pelvic floor problems. There are only very few doctors trained in this speciality. In IRM & WH, we have a dedicated Urogynaecology clinic run by fellowship-trained specialist since 2006.

Common Pelvic floor problems in women are Urinary incontinence (Urinary leak, Urgency, Frequency, Bedwetting), Persistent and recurrent urinary infections, Prolapse of the uterus, Bladder, Bowels, Pelvic pain, Bowel urgency and incontinence.

In general, 50% of women over the age of 35 suffer from some form of pelvicfloor disorder but these can also happen in younger girls. Most women with urogynaecological problems are embarrassed to seek medical help and some are unaware there are treatments available for these problems and tend to suffer in silence.

At IRM & WH, the Urogynaecology clinic, through our female senior consultant, has broken down these barriers in women seeking help. We offer several treatment options,including conservative measures such as life-style modifications, bladder re-training, pelvic floor exercises, along with the physiotherapy. In addition, we promote conservative treatment for prolapse and medical management of urinary problems in those who deserve these options.

Our comprehensive out-patient services include use of different types of pessaries, Uroflowmetry and Ultrasound-aided evaluation, several medical options in Urinary problems and pelvic pain, including bladder-based therapies.Perineal evaluation and treatment in women with childbirth-related episiotomy, 3rd and 4th degree perineal tears and other perineal problems is an integrated part of the Urogynaecology service.

Urogynaecological surgeries provided at our departmentincludesminimally invasive surgical options like slings (Fascial & Synthetic), Botox injections, Cystoscopy interventions and complex vaginal surgeries,Fistula surgeries, Pelvic floor reconstruction, Vaginal reconstructions, Uterus conserving prolapse surgeries and Vaginal hysterectomies in prolapse and in those with other uterine problems.

Urogynaecological problems considerably affect a woman’s quality of life. Unfortunately, most women in India tend to put up with these, assuming it as part of the normal ageing process. We create awareness programs to help women understand that,medical science has progressed by leaps and bounds and several treatment options are available for these difficult issues.

IRM&WH Specialist Breast Care

IRM Specialist Breast Unit is one of the few comprehensive dedicated centre in Tamil Nadu for the evaluation, diagnosis and management of all breast conditions.

In India, as Breast Cancer incidence is on the rise and is due to become the commonest cancer amongst Urban women, early diagnosis is the key to achieving cure with good quality of life.

Services provided include ‘One-Stop Breast Clinic’ offering ‘triple assessment’ for symptomatic women, which is the international standard for diagnosis of breast conditions including clinical examination, ultrasonography, mammography (above 35 years) and pathology (FNAC or Core biopsy) and are done during a single visit.

The centre also provides a breast screening service for all women from the age of 40 years with annual mammography including providing a definitive diagnosis by ultrasound or mammogram-guided stereotactic biopsy for screen-detected abnormalities.

The comprehensive breast care services include Oncoplastic Breast Preserving surgery for breast cancer & cosmetic breast surgery like Breast Reduction & Augmentation Mammoplasty.

The centre aims to increase breast awareness in women through specific programmes and reduce the burden of breast cancer in our society, which is increasingly becoming an epidemic due to the modern life style of the urban Indian women.

Imaging and Lab services
Imaging and Lab services

IRM&WH offers a good-quality diagnostic imaging service including the latest 3- and 4-dimensional scan (3-D, 4-D). Several different types of scans are required to fully evaluate a woman’s health problems. Women who come to IRM&WH receive a “one-stop service” that includes Obstetrical and Gynaecological doctors’ review and relevant investigations including ultrasound assessment, all under one roof.

Pregnancy Scans
Early pregnancy scan
  • Early pregnancy Scan- It is done between 6 and 10 weeks ofpregnancy
  • to confirm it is intrauterine in location and is not anectopic
  • help date your pregnancy, and estimate your baby’s duedate
  • to also confirm how many babies you arecarrying
  • to check that your baby is growing well in your womb withoutbleeding.
Down’s Syndrome screening

Screening for Down’s syndrome can be performedas early as 11 to 14 weeks of pregnancy with a first trimester ultrasound and blood test. (Nuchal translucency scan and double-marker test). Scan at 16–18 weeks + blood test (Quadruple test). NIPT - Non-invasive test to check for chromosomalabnormalitie

Cervix scan

A cervical length scan is an important ultrasound that is performed in order toassess your risk of miscarriage or prematurebirth. The scan may be done anytime between 14 and 37 weeks, depending on your needs.

Anatomy scan

The20-week ultrasound scan sometimes called an anatomyanomalyscan,isperformedaround18to20weeksofpregnancy. Is the most important prenatal screening test as it can both screen for abnormalities and, with detailed analysis It is for detailed evaluation to assess for foetal structural defect (Congenital Abnormalities).

Fetal well-being scans

Approximately 10% of pregnancies can be complicated with foetal growth problems (small for gestational age foetus/ growth-restricted foetuses / large for gestation). Growth and Doppler scans are vital in the care of such high-risk pregnancies.
a. Growth scan – to check foetal size and classify them as either Small for gestation or Growth restriction or large for gestation and monitor their serial intervalgrowth.
b. Uterine artery Doppler – to assess for blood flow to placenta.
c. Amniotic fluid index – to check for amount of fluid (liquor) around foetus.
d. Umbilical artery Doppler – helps check placental blood flow to the foetus.

Foetal echo

A scan performed when a heart abnormality is suspected. Paediatric Cardiologists at the Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases scan perform the foetal echo and fully explain the findings and treatment plan to patients and relatives, when a heart defect or rhythm defect (slow heart beat / congenital heart block) is detected during pregnancy.

Scans for multiple pregnancy (Twins, Triplets)

Requires a whole range of very specialised scans and all these are performed at IRM &WH

  • Type of multiple pregnancy (Chorionicity)
  • Nuchal translucency scan for Downs Syndrome screening
  • Anatomy scan to perform a detailed assessment of fetuses for structural defects as twins are at higher risk of abnormalities. Antenatalmanagementofmultifetalgestationsdependsonchorionicity,whichshould be established using ultrasonography in the first trimester. Unlike dichorionic twin gestations, monochorionic pregnancies experience unique complications becauseof their shared vascular connections, and therefore, need frequent ultrasound surveillance. Twin pregnancies are associated with 2- to 3-fold increase in complications.
  • Monochorionic twins require 2 weekly scans from 16 weeks to 28 weeks to check for a Twin-to-twin transfusion Syndrome, Discordant growth.
  • Foetal well-being assessment with growth, foetal Doppler studies are essential part of multiple pregnancy care as foetal growth restriction occurs in about 30%. We have extensive experience in this area.

Dr Suresh inaugurated the fetal medicine unit at IRM&WH in January 2017. The service is fully supported by fetal medicine consultant, ultrasound consultant, clinical geneticist and a well-equipped genetic laboratory.

Scans for the newborn

Ultrasound facilities are available both in the neonatal unit and at the outpatient clinic. –Neurosonogram to check details within the newborn’s head,

  • Abdominal, Renal and Pelvic scans – to check details within the newborn’s tummy (Abdominal/ Renal scan)
  • Scan to follow-up progress of preterm, growth-restricted newborns and those with structural defects.
Our imaging department also offers the following services
  • Gynaecology scans
  • ub-fertility scans
  • Limb Doppler studies
  • Thyroid scan
  • Breast scan
  • Abdominal scan
  • Ultrasound for newborns

All the scans are done by highly skilled dedicated, experienced and committed consultants specialized in ultrasound for the welfare of the mother and her babies.

Teaching and Training:

This centre is recognized by the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University and the National Board of Examination, New Delhi for fellowship program in Reproductive Medicine due to its excellent academic activities. Twenty doctors were awarded the fellowship degree in Reproductive Medicine by the National Board of examination Delhi and Dr.MGR Medical University.

  • We offer post-doctorate fellowship training in Reproductive Medicine
  • We have one-year fellowship training in Embryology and Reproductive Medicine. M.M.M. Council will award the fellowship certificate. Doctors with DNB or MD with 2 years of experience and scientists (MSc in Biotechnology or biology) can apply for the training.

Regular CME sessions are conducted every 2 months focusing on clinical topics relevant to excellent care to women and her children. Our annual conference and the CME sessions in the last 16 years have remained very popular among clinicians in India and abroad.

Meet Our Doctors

INSTITUTE OF REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE & WOMEN’S HEALTH (IRMWH)

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