People often form lasting bonds with those who become a significant part of their lives. For some women in Hyderabad, that person is Dr Suri Srimathi, the gynaecologist who delivered them decades ago and later treated their daughters and granddaughters.
At 92, Srimathi continues to see patients and perform C-sections when required. According to a recent Indian Express report, her peers credit her with delivering around two lakh babies during her career.
A Doctor Who Treated Three Generations
Some of the babies she delivered have returned years later with their own children. Srimathi has treated three generations of women from the same families, while her career has also included complicated cases, including the delivery of triplets.
Her journey began in 1958, when she joined Osmania Medical College and later specialised in gynaecology. In 1959, she performed her first independent delivery, a C-section at a government hospital in Sangareddy.
When Doctors Had To Do It All
Medical facilities were limited when Srimathi began practising, and many diagnostic tools now considered routine were unavailable. Doctors relied heavily on physical examinations, medical knowledge and conversations with patients.
“I was the anaesthesiologist, the gynaecologist and the paediatrician,” she recalled.
She went on to work across government hospitals and medical colleges in Telangana before continuing in private practice. Over six decades, she witnessed major changes in maternal healthcare, including the growing use of ultrasound and other diagnostic techniques.
Six Decades Of Changing Childbirth
Srimathi has also seen pregnancy patterns change. Teenage pregnancies were more common earlier in her career, while women later began marrying and having children at older ages.
She has witnessed a rise in C-sections but believes vaginal delivery should be preferred when medically appropriate. Surgery, she said, may be required in cases involving complications, trauma, blood loss or infection.
Even at 92, she continues to perform C-sections with assistance, although she has reduced the number of surgeries she undertakes. Her surgical skills have also influenced younger doctors who trained under her.
Her Focus Remains On Women
For Srimathi, treating patients has always involved more than delivering babies. She emphasises confidence and reducing pain during pregnancy and childbirth.
“I instil confidence in my patients. When pregnant women come to me, I ensure that they don’t suffer pain. I strive towards reducing their pain to the maximum extent possible,” she told The Indian Express.
She also stresses the importance of nutrition among women.
“Across decades, women have ignored their nutritional needs. It’s time for women to concentrate on that. Half the battle is won then,” she said.
Why She Stayed In Hyderabad
Despite invitations from former students to move to the US, Srimathi chose to remain in Hyderabad and continues to see patients at her home clinic.
“I did get invitations from several of my students in the US to move there. But I love India. I don’t want to leave this suburb, my city,” she said.
After more than six decades in medicine, Srimathi continues to work — now caring for patients whose families she has sometimes known for generations.