Leaders
Women’s health and maternity care represent a critical yet often fragmented segment of the healthcare industry. Despite growing demand and heightened global attention, the sector continues to grapple with a lack of access, cultural taboos, and medical over-intervention which hinders optimal care delivery. Opportunities lie in advancing respectful maternity care, training midwives, and integrating alternative medicine with evidence-based practices. Stakeholders who can bridge clinical excellence with human-centric care will lead the next wave of transformation.
Dr Geeta (Uttur) Bharat is an experienced Obstetrician, Gynaecologist, and IVF Specialist with over 20 years of expertise in reproductive health, fertility science, and minimally invasive gynaecology. As Founder and Director at Sarvodaya Women’s Hospital & Fertility IVF Centre, she has set benchmarks in IVF outcomes, waterbirth protocols, and midwifery-led maternity care. Her professional journey is anchored in a strong commitment to ethical practice, continuous learning and knowledge sharing. She actively contributes to developing future leaders in fertility care. Her goal is to scale patient-centric innovations that empower women at every stage of their reproductive journey.
Take us through your educational journey. What inspired you to pursue the medical field?
Coming from a small-town, middle-class background with a strong value system, I pursued my MBBS and MS in Obstetrics and Gynaecology from KMC, Hubli. Following my postgraduate training, I served as an Assistant Professor at Medical Colleges, Dharward, where I spent over four years educating future doctors in women’s health. After completing my gynaecological endoscopy fellowship with Dr B. Ramesh, I was awarded the MRCOG in 2007 by Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists, London. I was also awarded FRCOG in 2020. I continued as an Assistant Professor at SDM Medical College before pivoting to infertility care. To deepen my expertise, I pursued intensive IVF training in Kerala, Singapore, and Germany, including programs at National University Hospital, Singapore, and Oldenburg University.
All we know is how little we know, the rest is a vast ocean of learning
The motivation to pursue medicine came from an early understanding of the profound difference doctors can make in people’s lives through expertise and compassionate care. Women’s health with its challenges and unmet needs offered a powerful opportunity to make a meaningful impact and drive change.
Tell us about Sarvodaya Women's Hospital and Fertility Centre and its key USP.
While IVF centres are increasingly common, our strength lies in combining top-tier clinical expertise with a holistic, results-driven model. Beyond fertility, we provide end-to-end gynaecological care tailored to women’s needs at every phase of life, all in one unifies, advanced setting.
My approach is guided by an unwavering ethical framework, which has shaped both the quality of care and patient trust. I am proud to say we have achieved outstanding results in infertility care and have also introduced the area’s first natural birthing center, offering women holistic, respectful maternity options not previously available here.
Our institution pioneers an inclusive approach by combining AYUSH modalities such as Ayurveda and Naturopathy with evidence-based allopathic treatments. This is especially effective in areas like IVF, where Panchakarma aids in stress management and system cleansing. This integrative strategy is a distinctive strength of our hospital.
How does Sarvodaya Women's Hospital and Fertility Centre ensure positive patient outcomes while maintaining industry best practices?
As a gynaecologist, I take a human-centric approach to treating patients. Our team is trained to treat every patient like family, ensuring empathy and comfort are at the heart of every interaction. Driven by the vision of offering complete care, our facility integrates IVF, natural birthing, and specialized services supported by a highly trained team. We are committed to setting the standard for comprehensive women’s healthcare. To extend our commitment beyond physical health, we aim to create a support helpline offering access to professionals from law enforcement, legal, education, employment, and mental health sectors. This initiative is designed to assist women seeking help in any aspect of life.
What are some crucial challenges that medical practitioners face and how does one overcome these roadblocks?
While our medical curriculum emphasizes clinical excellence, it often overlooks essential competencies like communication, ethics, and business acumen. As a result, many doctors become ‘accidental entrepreneurs’, unprepared for the demands of private practice and leadership in healthcare. Recognizing the challenges young doctors face post their graduation, we are designing a program to teach entrepreneurial competencies, covering everything from practice setup to admin and soft skills, so future professionals can lead confidently and sustainability.
The journey to become a doctor is long and demanding, but few are prepared for the practical decisions post-graduation, be it starting a clinic, joining a hospital, or managing finance. My mission is to guide medical students in leveraging their expertise through entrepreneurial thinking and strategic planning.
What keeps you passionate about learning and growing as a medical practitioner, after nearly two decades in the industry?
Recognizing how quickly both technology and medicine evolve, I have begun learning digital skills crucial for visibility and engagement. Whether it is social media strategy or video production, staying updated is essential. In healthcare especially, yesterday’s knowledge may be outdated tomorrow, so continuous learning is non-negotiable.
I believe learning is a continuous, life-long journey and remains to be my passion. I also believe in consistency and staying relevant by acquiring new skills and applying them to stay pertinent in an ever-evolving world. The moment we stop learning, we risk becoming obsolete, especially in this era of rapid technological advancement.
Throw some light on your mission to revolutionize women's healthcare in India by integrating cutting-edge technology.
Besides contributing to advancements in the infertility sector, I envision my broader legacy as one that empowers women globally to reclaim their natural right to childbirth. The goal is to champion access to respectfully maternity care, minimally invasive, rooted in dignity, and free from unnecessary medical intervention. Our mission is to train and deploy skilled midwives in underserved rural areas, integrating them into mainstream obstetric care. By reintroducing natural birth practices into hospitals, we aim to shift clinical norms, empower women, and build a legacy of respectful, evidence-based maternity care. My vision is to author a book that introduces future doctors to the science and philosophy of natural birth, promoting a more balanced, respectful approach to maternity care.
Dr Geeta Bharat (Uttur), Founder & Director, Sarvodaya Women's Hospital & Fertility Centre, Dharwad
Dr Geeta (Uttur) Bharat is a seasoned healthcare leader dedicated to providing ethical and technological advanced women’s healthcare. Under her leadership, Sarvodaya has become a trusted destination for advanced IVF, surrogacy, and natural birth services, underpinned by compassionate care and clinical integrity. Her expertise is fueled with integrated, ethical, and accessible healthcare.
