Wife of Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has charged couples experiencing infertility to seek right information rather than dissipating energy on “blame game”.
The governor’s wife gave the advice in Lagos during the fifth edition of Parah Fertility Conference, with the theme: “Navigating through Infertility in the 21st Century,” organised by Parah Family Foundation.
She said experts had affirmed that the appropriate way to go about the issue of infertility was for the affected families, especially couples, to jointly investigate the cause, with open minds, to work out solutions together.
“It is noteworthy that this conference has become a credible avenue to bring issues of delayed fertility in our society to the fore, especially in terms of eradicating ignorance, myths, and social stigma associated with it.
“Without knowledge, destruction is imminent. Information is key to transformation of human mind and this is why the conference focused on demystifying the myths about infertility and helping families affected to understand the best way to handle the issues and challenges presented by infertility, particularly in Nigeria,” she said.
MEANWHILE, experts have raised the alarm over the growing rate of infertility in men.
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Lagos State University (LASU), Adeniyi Adewunmi, who was the lead speaker at the conference, expressed worry over the growing rate of infertility in men, saying the apprehension emanated from his professional day-to-day experience and statistic review.
Adewunmi said male infertility indicates a problem with a man’s reproductive system, which makes him unable to impregnate a female, adding that it was a misconception for people to always believe that the issue of infertility could only affect or be caused by a female.
According to him, research findings showed that more men are suffering from infertility than ever and some of its causes were smoking, alcohol intake, drugs, obesity and testicular infections, among others.
Another fertility expert, Dr. Olufemi Omololu, who is the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, also corroborated Adewunmi’s position on the growing rate of infertility in men.
The CMD of Lifeline Fertility Clinic, Dr. Kemi Ailoje, charged intending couples to live life devoid of stress and anxiety in the course of their waiting to be blessed with a child.
She advised them to be closer to God and have faith in Him.
Earlier, the conference’s convener, Dayo Odukoya, said the rate of infertility and causes were alarming, such that it required continued awareness to enable couples undergoing the challenge to speak out in time, and seek for a solution early in marriage.
