Healthcare & Innovation

The Real Reason Infertility Rates Are Skyrocketing - more on Healthcare conversations -  • Can AI actually replace your doctor? #AI #...  

“We celebrate innovation everywhere… so why are we still uncomfortable when it comes to creating life through IVF?”

In this episode of Beyond Titles, we sit down with Dr. Saarthak Bakshi to unpack one of the most important yet least talked about topics in India — IVF, fertility, and the stigma surrounding it.

From failed startups to building one of India and Nepal’s leading IVF chains, this is a conversation that goes beyond entrepreneurship. It dives deep into the emotional, social, and ethical realities of fertility treatment — why IVF is still taboo, what couples actually go through, and how science, hope, and societal pressure collide.

We also explore modern choices like egg freezing, the truth behind IVF success rates, what happens when treatments fail, and how the fertility industry is evolving in India.

Dr. Saarthak Bakshi is the CEO & Co-founder of RISAA IVF, a leading fertility chain across India and Nepal. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, TEDx speaker, and angel investor (Neos Angels), he has backed 30+ startups while building a purpose-driven business in one of the most sensitive and misunderstood sectors — fertility and reproductive healthcare.

Key Takeaways

Why IVF is still considered taboo in India

The emotional reality behind failed IVF cycles

Egg freezing: empowerment or false security?

What most people misunderstand about fertility treatments

Ethics, regulations, and the future of IVF in India

Lessons from failure, entrepreneurship, and building with purpose

If this conversation made you think differently about IVF, fertility, or societal mindsets — share it with someone who needs to hear this.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to Beyond Titles for more real conversations beyond the surface.

Timestamp:

00:00 - 01:03 Trailer

01:04 - 02:26 Meet Saarthak Bakshi

02:27 - 07:14 Breaking conventional path: chosing entrepreneurship over a medical career

07:15 - 10:09 Building RISAA IVF with his mother

10:10 - 14:23 The stigma around IVF 

14:24 - 19:11 Rising infertility: careers, stress & delayed parenthood

19:12 - 22:09 IVF success rates & emotional turmoil behind treatment

22:10 - 25:36 Identity stigma: fake names, secrecy & marriage breakdowns

25:37 - 28:40 Nepal expansion: running a government IVF program

28:41 - 30:48 RISAA’s value proposition: empathy + science

30:49 - 32:17 Scaling clinics through compassion, not volume

32:18 - 38:18 IVF vs Surrogacy vs Adoption

38:19 - 44:27 AI, artificial wombs & future of reproduction

44:28 - 46:58 Rise of egg freezing & fertility preservation

46:59 - 52:59 Ethical boundaries for “designer babies” & Preventing embryo mix-ups

53:00 - 57:16 Investing in startups: leveraging innovation to improve IVF outcomes

57:17 - 58:20 Hypothetical Shark Tank pitch: care vs guarantees

58:21 - 01:04:06 TED Talks: Startup lessons from failures

01:04:07 - 01:07:30 QnA with Dr. Saarthak Bakshi

01:07:31 - 01:13:26 Final message: Parenthood is a right, not a secret. IVF should be normal.

01:13:27 - 01:13:27 Outro

We spoke about:

Why IVF is still viewed with hesitation and judgment

The emotional reality couples face when treatments fail

Egg freezing, late parenthood, and the silent pressures on women

What really happens behind the scenes of fertility clinics

How hope, stigma, science, and ethics collide in this space

#IVF #Fertility #BeyondTitles #SaarthakBakshi #InfertilityAwareness

#EggFreezing #WomenHealth #HealthcareIndia #BreakingTaboos

#Entrepreneurship #StartupIndia #PurposeDriven #fertilityjourney 

The speaker shares his journey from considering medicine to establishing an IVF business, driven by a desire for a lasting legacy rather than just a career. He discusses the significant challenges and potential for blame in the IVF journey, highlighting the high stakes involved in an infertility venture. This conversation explores the unique business ideas and entrepreneurial spirit required in the fertility center industry.