"For example, take the case of cows. Now in recent times people use Artificial Insemination to impregnate cows. So it is not only the case of plants that we produce hybrid variety. Even in animal also like these are performed. We will discuss more about them in next class." saying that the professor left the class.

"Isn't it unethical?" Shruti wondered

"All is fair in biotechnology" her friend shrugged.

Shruti rolled her eyes.

"Poor cows." she muttered.

"Hey, you really need to join in blue cross" her friend Shalini teased.

"Shut up Shalini. How can they deprive cows from having intercourse?"

Shalini spilled the drink when she heard her friend speaking openly about it.

"What? Since when did you start to think about $ex life of cow?" Shalini wondered.

"Come on, it isn't about just $ex! It is something against nature. There certain things that has to be done in certain ways." Shurti started to speak like typical sociologist.

"Seriously you need to be in sociology class and not in biotechnology."

Shruti sighed.

"Shruti why are you taking everything in wrong way? For few minutes keep your 'I-support-nature' character down and think from biotechnologist point of view. Don't you think the ethical committee wouldn't have thought about the consequences? Think Shruti. I agree that what we are doing is opposite to nature principal. Before that you answer me this, why do cow need to be impregnanted again and again?" Shalini asked her.

"For milk." Shruti frowned while thinking about the question.

"For more milk." Shalini corrected her.

"Milk to meet the world population. Not only cow right, every vegetables are now hybrid. Reason is to meet some 'need'. Just like 'All is fair in love and war', we almost need to accept that 'All is fair for the need'"

Shurti couldn't help but laugh at the memory. She fought with her for cow that day, now she herself is in terms to under go Artificial Insemination.

"Shurti" a familiar voice called her out.

She turned to the source of voice and saw Viswa, Project Leader of another project, along with his wife.

"You are here?" he asked her.

"General Checkup." she lied as she didn't want to tell everyone unless she gets pregnant.

"You both?" she asked.

He waved a report in front of her, with a smile.

"You both are expecting? Wow! Congratulations" she said to both.

They thanked her and sat beside her, waiting for the nurse to call in.

She observed how Viswa was taking care of his wife.

They are cute! She thought.

Even she wanted someone to take care of her like this.

No Shruti! Don't expect too much. What if I get husband like Vijay? He might leave me. In this matter, I could save myself from another heartbreak.

"Shruti. Now you can meet the doctor." a nurse announced that.

She took a deep breath and entered the Dr. Sanchana's cabin.

"Hi Shruti, take a seat please." Sanchana asked.

Shruti does her regular checkup with Sanchana. So they both are familiar with each other.

"So what is your problem." Sanchana asked her.

"Umm, doctor, I would like to get pregnant..."

Sanchana nodded her head hearing observing keenly.

"by Artifical Insemination." she completed.

Sanchana hid her surprise. She wouldn't have been surprised if a couple has asked for AI.

Sanchana observed her. She knew about Shruti's broken engagement. Because she invited her and, later in doctor session also she told how her marriage got cancelled.

Sanchana can understand that Shruti lost trust in men and that's why she chose this.

"Fine. It can be arranged. Before that, I need some clarity on some topic." Sanchana asked.

"Your parents are coming to take care of you?" she asked.

"Nope. I haven't discussed this with them yet. I will discuss after I go through the procedure. To be honest, I don't think they will accept me soon. It will take time for them. Maybe they will accept me after the baby is born." Shruti said.

Sanchana shook her head in disappointment.

"Shruti you are single. Pregnancy is not light matter. You need some one to take care of you."

"I have appointed a maid, doctor. Actually I made sure that she knows driving also. Incase of labour, she needs to drive me to hospital right? I have everything prepared for this." Shruti told her confidently.

Sanchana thought for a second.

"Good. But you just don't need physical support, you will need a lot of emotional support too."

"Doctor, I am strong enough to handle this. Yes, I was broke when the marriage got cancelled. But I have overcome that. Even I need to move on. You may think it is so soon. But me living without anyone by my side is hurting me. I want a child. I want to start a family, doctor."

"Fine. I will check your health to see whether your body is ready for pregnancy. And when you want to undergo this procedure?" Sanchana asked.

"This week." she said quickly.

"That soon? Well for IUI procedure you need to be ovulating." Sanchana informed her.

"Yes yes. I researched about it. I think I will be ovulating next week. That's why I thought it would be better if I come now and undergo the procedures." she said.

"By the way, why IUI* and not IVF*?" Shruti wondered.

She saw in internet that IUI had less chance of getting pregnant than IVF. She didn't want to go with less chance.

Sanchana understood why she asked.

"I get it. But mostly we go from IUI if it unsuccessful only we move to IVF. Plus it is not that IUI has less chance of getting pregnant. It depends on varies factor. But you can choose the method you want to get pregnant."

Shruti thought for a second.

"Fine let's try IUI, later we can try IVF if it is not working." Shruti agreed.

"Coming to partner part. Do you know someone who is willing to donate sperm?" Sanchana asked.

"Nope. I haven't discussed it with anyone and I don't have male friends to ask them to donate. Plus I thought it would be better if it is anonymous. I don't want the other person to claim my child as his." she shrugged.

"Well that can be done. Sperm donor can't claim any rights. We will draw an agreement.

"Now we need to contact sperm donor from sperm bank. You would like to do that or shall I order from donor bank?" Sanchana asked.

"You please." Shruti asked. She hasn't been to donor bank. She felt unknown fear about it.

"Okay, done. I will contact them. I am not sure whether they will have any sperm donors, last week I had to call them, they had just few vials."

Shruti frowned about the last part.

"There are donors all around the world right? I mean population of men is more than women. So it is easy to get it right?"

On seeing her confused face, Sanchana concluded she wouldn't have researched about sperm donor.

"Well you see, those banks don't get sperm from everyone. There are some procedures for that. Male undergo several screening process, like general health checkup, ancestor illness, STDs. Motility of the sperm are also taken into count. Plus they get sample semen from them and store it for 6 months and again test it for mortality. Only then they become eligible to donate. Wait let me show you the list." saying that she gave her a paper which contains the procedure to get into sperm donation.

"Plus you can also choose which type of person you want to donate, type of person as in, their ethnicity, education qualification like that."

"Wait, I can filter based on education also?" Shruti wondered.

"Yes, but it can take time also. Some couples prefer IIT graduate donor. They would like to have genius babies."

Shruti was stunned about everything.

"As you said there are less vials, I don't want to delay the process by filtering. I am fine with anything."

Sanchana asked the nurse to call the sperm bank to check the availability of any sperm.

"I will inform you as soon as I get one. Now you can have your general checkup. After that we will discuss." Sanchana informed her and them Shruti left for the general checkup.

When she came out she saw another nurse calling Viswa and his wife.

Viswa placed an arm around his wife and went inside. She can guess that his wife is not even three months pregnant, as she couldn't see the baby bump. But the way he held his wife touched Shruti's heart.

'Emotional support'

She sighed.

After doing general checkup, she was asked to come next day to collect reports. Then she paid bills and went to reception area. She booked a cab but she had to wait for another 30 minutes for the cab to reach the hospital.

First thing in tomorrow morning I should get the car from service.

In mean gap, she saw Viswa and his wife crossing her. She saw the wife's face beaming with happiness. She couldn't help but feel a bit jealous about the couple.

You are feeling jealous for no reason Shruti. She scolded herself mentally and turned her concentration on the TV.

But what she failed to notice was the gloomy face of the husband.

************************

Hi guys. I hope I didn't bore you with this chapter. As much as I want to explain the procedures, I also don't want you to feel like you are in some biology class. So I winded up there.

You can also research on those topics.

Don't worry I will not make it sad chapter.

*Coming to the procedures, IUI in simple words, fertilization of egg and sperm takes place inside the uterus and in IVF, the fertilization takes place outside and the fertilised egg gets placed in uterus. In first case here maybe less chances of fertilization compared to second one. But as I said in the chapter, it depends on the age and health of the women.