By Laudia Sawer, GNA
Tema, June 12, GNA – Women who are not ready to have babies but are ageing have been advised to freeze their eggs to keep them fertile for their future pregnancies.
Dr Edem Hiadzi, an Obstetrician Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist, gave the advice that freezing eggs was very feasible and could ensure that the eggs could survive for up to 10 years in the state in which they were harvested.
Egg freezing according to Healthline (an online health portal), is a form of assisted reproductive technology that involves stimulating, harvesting, and storing eggs for future use.
Dr Hiadzi, who is also the founder and chief executive officer of Lister Hospital and Fertility Centre, gave the advice during a virtual Third Annual World Infertility Awareness Summit 2024 organised by the Merck Foundation and the Africa Reproductive Care Society in commemoration of World Infertility Awareness Month.
He said there may be many reasons accounting for the delay and pregnancy, therefore, it was highly advised that to be able to use their own eggs for artificial insemination in the future, women could freeze their quality eggs.
He indicated that many things could affect the quality of eggs, including ageing, while medical treatment for illnesses such as cancer could also damage the eggs.
The fertility specialist noted that using one’s own frozen eggs was more economical than relying on donor eggs.
Dr Hiadzi said with egg freezing during in vitro fertilisation (IVF), some of the eggs from the stimulation could be frozen for subsequent pregnancies instead of the past, when many eggs were fertilised and implanted in the woman.
Professor Oladapo Ashiru, the President of the Africa Reproductive Care Society (ARCS), said 2that according to the United Nations, having a baby was a human right.
Professor Ashiru, who is also the president of the Academy of Medicine Specialties of Nigeria, called on policymakers, the government, and stakeholders to ensure the availability of equitable access and robust health care for all.
He also called for attention to the causes of infertility, especially air pollution and environmental toxins, which, when tackled, would help prevent infertility.
He said other causes included untreated sexually transmitted diseases and mumps infections in childhood, which could cause permanent testicular damage.
“Those who work in the paint industry, petrochemical industry, and oil industry are highly exposed people if they don’t detox themselves regularly of toxins.
Dr Rasha Kelej, the Chief Executive Officer of Merck Foundation, noted that fertility was a shared responsibility and should not be stigmatised.
Dr Kelej said infertility was a condition that could be treated and managed, noting that 85 per cent could be treated, therefore the need to create awareness for couples suffering from infertility to seek medical care.
According to the World Health Organisation, infertility is a disease of the male or female reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse. This may occur due to male, female, or unexplained factors.
GNA