The first fertility centre to successfully implement IVF (TEST TUBE BABY) and other ART service (diagnosing and curing by performing IVF, ICSI, PESA and TESA/ICSI/ET) in Kerala has been operational since 1996 at Kadavanthra, Ernakulam.

Chirdren from IVF, for the first time in Kerala, were born in 1997 conceived in 1996 from this centre. So far morethan 602 live babies (from IVF /ICSI) have been born from this centre and there are several on-going pregnancies.

Both partners are examined the same day, precise diagnosis is made, and immediately treatment is prescribed. For the male, the infertility may be due to any of these reasons:- Inadequate or abnormal sperm production and delivery (which is checked with a semenogram), genital abnormalities, hormonal evaluation (to rule out any imbalances), varicocele (which can be confirmed with a Doppler study and varicocele surgery is done where indicated), sexual dysfunction and impotence and chromosomal anomaly.

For the female, the causes are primarily ovulatory dysfunction, fallopian tube dysfunction and uterine or pelvic pathologies. The diagnostic tools used are:- Pelvic Ultrasonography (to rule out any pelvic pathology), hormonal evaluation (to rule out endocrinopathy), Hysteroscopy and Laparoscopy (to correct pelvic pathology).

The Vijaya Fertility IVF & Endoscopic Centre now known asVIMS Hospital (Vijaya Institute of Medical Science) was conceived as a pioneering institution by Dr. N.P.Vijayalakshmy MD, DGO, FASRM and she has received accolades both from within and outside the country, including Singapore for the treatment of infertility. It is the first centre to offer ART in Kerala and the first IVF babies in Kerala were born at this centre. Before she started this Super Specialty Centre, she was a faculty with Medical College Service, Kerala.

Vijaya Fertility Clinic IVF & Endoscopic Centre, now known as VIMS Hospital (Vijaya Institute of Medical Sciences) has started new departments, the main department is Obstetrics and gynaecology. We have the most modern labour room and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit- which is functional since July 2004. The other departs are as follows.

»	Obstestric & Gynaec Clinic:- Antenatal, delivery and post natal care
»	Andrology/Urology Clinic:- Treatment for male infertility- medical, surgical
»	Pediatrics Clinic:- Treatment of newly born to children of all ages.
»	Dermatology Clinic:- Treatment for all skin diseases
»	ECG/X-ray/LAB/ECHO Cardiography Services available
»	Well woman clinic- Cervical cytology- Counselling for perimenopausal women.
»	Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT)
»	Ophthalmology (Eye)”
»	Dentistry

Dr. N. P. Vijayalakshmy, M. D, D. G. O, FASRM is the chief ART specialist of the centre. She started this centre in a small way, brought it up to the present stature, where she offers the world class service to her infertile patients. She started her career as lecturer in the medical college since 1975 and understood the problem of intertile couple and started the centre in 1996. She has received accolades both from within and outside the country including Singapore. She believes in team work and her team supports her in infertile couples understand their problem, the options to available, the cost of the treatment and the number of visits they have to make and the time one has to spend in the hospital are discussed.

Though ART is available here, only after complete evaluation and counselling the couple is recruited for one of the above procedures (a procedure suitable for the couple) and ART is the last line of treatment