How to check an IVF clinic in India is ART-registered

Step-by-step checks to confirm an IVF clinic in India is registered under the ART Act, displays its certificate and follows the consent rules for patients.

Checklist

By Nikhil Sharma, Founder · Updated · How we write and check

To check an IVF clinic in India, ask for its ART registration certificate, look for the clinic on the National ART & Surrogacy Registry portal, and confirm its level, staff and consent process match the ART Rules 2022. The rules require a registered clinic to display its certificate. If anything does not match, ask the clinic to explain before you pay.

Since the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act came into force, ART clinics and banks in India are regulated and recorded in a national registry hosted by the Department of Health Research. The registry portal publishes lists of registered and rejected applications for ART clinics, ART banks and surrogacy clinics. The ART Rules 2022 also set out what a registered clinic must have. Rule 8 requires the certificate to be displayed. Rule 11 requires a grievance cell. Schedule 1 lists minimum staff, and Form 6 is the consent form a couple or woman signs. These give you clear things to check.

Step 1: Ask the clinic for proof

  • Ask for a scanned copy of the ART registration certificate before your first consultation.
  • Note the exact clinic name, address and registration number on the certificate.
  • Check the address matches the place where your treatment will happen.
  • Ask whether the clinic is registered as Level 1 or Level 2 and what that covers.
  • Ask whether any embryology or storage is done by a separate ART bank, and get its registration too.

Step 2: Check the national registry

  • Open the National ART & Surrogacy Registry portal at registry.artsurrogacy.gov.in.
  • Open the list of registered ART clinics and look for the clinic name and city.
  • Also check the rejected list, in case an earlier application was refused.
  • Compare the name and address in the registry with the certificate you were sent.
  • Save a screenshot with the date for your records.

Step 3: Check what you see on the visit

  • Look for the registration certificate on display at the clinic, as Rule 8 requires.
  • For a Level 2 clinic, ask to meet the counsellor and embryologist the rules require.
  • Ask how to contact the clinic’s grievance cell if you have a complaint.
  • Ask for the consent forms in advance so you can read them before signing.

Step 4: Check the paperwork

  • Read Form 6 and any storage consent forms carefully with your partner.
  • Ask what the forms say about risks, multiple pregnancy and storage fees.
  • Ask for written answers to any question the forms leave unclear.
  • Keep copies of every signed form and payment receipt.

Step 5: Know where to raise concerns

  • Each state has an ART and surrogacy appropriate authority, listed on artsurrogacy.gov.in.
  • Note the authority for the state where the clinic is located.
  • Raise concerns first with the clinic’s grievance cell, keeping a written record.
  • Contact the appropriate authority if a concern is not resolved.

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What should foreign patients know about surrogacy?

IndiaMedica’s position is simple: surrogacy is not available to foreign nationals in India, and we do not arrange it. IVF and related fertility treatment are a separate matter. Your fertility specialist decides which treatment is suitable after reviewing your tests.

Questions people ask

Is ART registration the same as NABH accreditation?

No. ART registration is a legal requirement under the ART Act for clinics offering assisted reproduction. NABH accreditation is a voluntary quality standard for hospitals and clinics. One does not replace the other, so check ART registration even when the hospital is accredited.

What if I cannot find the clinic in the registry list?

Ask the clinic to explain and send its certificate again. The clinic may be listed under a different legal name or address. If the details still do not match, do not proceed until you have a clear written answer.

Does IndiaMedica check ART registration for me?

Yes. When you ask for a fertility case review, we check the clinic’s registration before sharing any proposal. You should still see the certificate yourself, because your own check is the final safeguard.

Sources

General information, not medical or legal advice. Rules change: confirm with the official source. How we write and check.

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