Gynaecologist urges infertile couples to embrace IVF

A consultant Gynaecologist, Dr Babatunde Ogunkinle, has recommended In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF/Test Tube) as an assisted reproduction technique to increase the chance of pregnancy among infertile couples.

Ogunkinle, who is also a fertility specialist, gave this recommendation at a public health lecture in commemoration of the International Women’s Day.

The event was organised by the Women’s Health and Action Research Centre (WHARC), an NGO, held in Benin.

The lecture was entitled “Getting Pregnant by Test Tube: What the General Public Should Know’’.

He explained IVF as “the procedure in which eggs are fertilised with sperm outside the woman’s body in a special laboratory and the embryo implanted into the woman’s womb’’.

He said that it was the most efficacious means of overcoming infertility especially when the woman’s fallopian tubes were blocked and the best option for treating male infertility.

The gynaecologist gave the set of couples that needed IVF to include women with blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, sperm problems and advanced woman’s age (age over 37 years).

Other sets were couples who had unsuccessful intrauterine insemination after three cycles attempt, women with endometriosis, other pelvic factors and unexplained infertility.

He, however, said that the success rate was determined by the age of the woman, condition of the sperm, coexisting uterine pathology like fibroids, polyps, scars in the uterus, condition of the laboratory, reason for the treatment and expertise of the team.

Couples who have been trying to conceive for more than 12 months should seek help.

“Infertility occurs when there is failure to achieve conception after a year of regular and unprotected intercourse of at least three times a week in a woman less than 35 years old;

“Infertility is also failure to achieve conception after six months of regular and unprotected intercourse in a woman who is 35 years or older,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the Programme Adviser of WHARC, Prof. Friday Okonofua, a Consultant Obstetrics and gynaecologist, said “In-Vitro Fertilisation started in 1978 to solve problems of infertility as pregnancy is a fundamental human right.

“Many cases of infertility are ascribed to witchcraft activities but they are more of medical problems that demand medical attention.’’

Okonofua said that WHARC was collaborating with Dr Babatunde Ogunkinle to create an IVF centre in Benin to help couples with infertility challenges get babies.