‘IVF success in Nigeria has made infertility nearly impossible’

ABAYOMI AJAYI, an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist is the managing director of Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos. In this interview with BusinessDay’s ANTHONIA OBOKOH, the fertility specialist shared his optimism on how In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is changing the rate of infertility in Nigeria.

 What is the current trend of IVF in Nigeria? 

One in four Nigerian couples experiences infertility. Many men and women who come from large families with many siblings and nieces and nephews never expect to experience infertility, but they do. There are couples for which infertility is the most upsetting experience of their lives.

It’s a good thing that Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) or infertility treatment procedures such as In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) can offer real hope for those desperately desirous of having their biological children.

IVF has done quite a lot for families in Nigeria. It has given hope to many people and completed many homes. The word barren almost does not exist again; we now use the word sub-fertile.

There are very few people that cannot be helped because there is a solution for almost everybody. But sometimes some people do not want to take recommendations maybe, because there are emotional issues involved and some decisions making is involved.

What is the success rate of IVF in Nigeria?

It is established that the most effective method for treating infertility is still IVF, especially in an environment like ours where tubal factor and sperm count are the problems.

There is no fixed figure for a circle before IVF treatment becomes successful. As a woman, your fertility begins to decline around the age of 30 and becomes more rapid at 35 until age 40 when fertility has reduced by half.

For Nordica, we are not doing badly; the progress and successes are counting. Nordica has had successes with over 2,500 babies.

Although, IVF in Nigeria does not have a National figure we have started collating through the association. If a clinic is doing about 300-400 circles every year it means there is progress.

An unsuccessful IVF cycle can be emotional and financially devastating, nevertheless, it is no longer an assumption that the IVF success rate is higher for infertile couples that go through multiple rounds.

The overall success of IVF depends on several factors, including the quality of the sperms and eggs, adherence to instructions by the couple and the choice of clinic. It is important to choose a good clinic and be realistic about your expectations.

What causes failure in IVF?

What can cause the failure of IVF is either the quality of embryos is bad or the endometrium is not receptive or the two of them are not functioning.

The best age to have an IVF is when you are 35. Then you have 50/50 chances and everything works well. Every couple’s success rate depends on the raw material they both have.

If you have fibroids surgery done repeatedly, it might affect the quality of the endometrium of the uterus. Some IVF doesn’t succeed because of some particular factors. This is why education is important, so people can be aware of it. Ultimately, you are the determinant of your success.

Hyperstimulation syndrome is the only thing that can kill in IVF and should be watched out for. Many clinics almost have zero hyperstimulation syndromes. I don’t think we had any for the past 5 years.

We need to educate the populace because some of them could become a patient. So education is very important. Even some doctors need to be educated because many of them not know anything about IVF. Education is key when it comes to health issues.

What is the cost of IVF treatment?

IVF is not always expensive. The cost of the treatment depends upon the cause of infertility, the type of intervention needed and the protocol used. Depending on the patient, the fertility treatment and medicines required would differ and the cost would vary accordingly.

However, Health insurance and IVF in Nigeria are not impossible, but it will take some time to be achieved.

Some private firms have started working on including IVF treatment on their insurance plans to help people. Apart from insurance companies, banks are also keying into offering fertility insurance as well.

I don’t think it is rocket science to have IVF on the health insurance plan, even though it is capital intensive.

Are there big differences between IVF treatment in Nigeria and other Africa countries?

There are not many countries that are doing many cases in West Africa apart from Nigeria. Not many countries in West Africa are doing 400-500 circles of IVF. No place in West Africa has the number of clinics that Nigeria has.

Nigeria is not that different from every other country in the world, including the UK. The only difference is that there is a regulatory body and they set minimum standards for the clinics. If the clinics do not meet up to the standards, they are closed down. Part of that is because the government in these countries put money in the clinics.

The notwithstanding, some clinics are doing well in Nigeria.

Before going into a clinic for IVF, it is advisable to do some personal research; read about IVF; find out about successful clinics; visit the place, and talk to the consultant before putting your money down.