Don Lists Challenges Of Fertility Services

Prof Augustus Orhue, the
Director, Human Reproductive Research Programme/In-vitro Fertilisation Centre, University of Benin Teaching Hospital,  last Tuesday attributed cases of infertility to poor birth delivery services.
Orhue, a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, who made the remark in an interview Benin  said the centre had handled more than 2,000 cases of infertility in the past 10  years, adding that most of the causes of infertility were due to poor delivery services and infections from previous abortions.
According to him, “Infertility is not more than 10 per cent in Europe and America, but in Nigeria, it is between 30 and 50 per cent. We lack effective health delivery services; it is only three out of every 10 pregnant women that are likely to survive the rigours of having their deliveries conducted by knowledgeable medical personnel.
“Most women deliver themselves in unhygienic places, with the many consequences or go to traditional birth attendants.“Going to a traditional birth attendants is infection-prone. Most of the women are not aware that they can contact infections, and so, they don’t take precautions,”  he said.
The gynaecologist said infections from pervious abortions were also a serious cause of infertility in women stating  that high cost of the treatment of infections was a problem that also contributed to cases of infertility.
“Our cultural beliefs are breaking down, and as a result, young people get involved in sexual intercourse, contact sexually transmitted diseases. This can lead to infertility, if not treated properly.“Most women who get infections and complications during child birth or abortions do not go to hospitals for treatment because they cannot afford it, “’Medical charges are expensive and they are forced to use traditional drugs, which cannot completely cure the complications,” he emphasised .
He also said that such infections also caused low sperm count, which is the commonest cause of infertility in men. “Infertility in men can be consequences of diseases, hypertension and diabetes or bad habits like drinking and smoking,