‘Acupuncture, Endoscopy, Counselling Can Improve IVF Treatment’

As part of efforts to improve success rates in fertility treatments among Nigerians, the Managing Director of Nordica Fertility Centre, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, has stated that acupuncture, endoscopy and counselling are known to improve fertility among couples needing Invitro Fertilisation.

He said stress, anxiety and other discomforts to the body could play a negative role during IVF, hence the introduction of acupuncture which reduces stress, as well as cause the release of endorphins, which are natural pain killers than eliminate pain and relaxes the body, adding that this could prepare the body for positive outcome from the treatment.

Dr. Ajayi, who spoke during the Nordica Open Forum, tagged: Improving IVF Success Through Ancillary Services held in Lagos recently, said while acupuncture was been practised in developed countries, there was need for its use in the treatment of IVF.

According to him, the role of counselling in fertility treatment cannot be over emphasised, stressing that counselling comes in different stages, depending on which level of treatments the patients were undergoing. “It is important that couples going into fertility treatment must understand some things before hand. They should be counselled on best approaches, what to do when a circle succeeds or fail, as well as best chances and options available to them.”

He said maximum success of IVF treatment was possible by thorough preparation of the couples prior to undertaking treatment options, adding that one of those preparations was endoscopy. Endoscopy is the assessment of the inside of the womb, its related organs and the pelvic organs.

Dr. Ajayi also stressed that even though there was difficulty in accessing foreign exchange and the economic situation in the country, he has, however not increased his fee for treatment. “We are loosing money by the day because we try not to compromise on quality. Daily we also use power, while the cost of diesel has gone up. We understand this is not peculiar to our industry alone,” he added.

Lending his voice, the President of the Fertility Awareness Advocacy Initiative (FAAI), Mr. Omoz Evborokhai, said babies gotten through the assistance of IVF treatments were normal babies, adding that couples who have been successful in the treatment should not shy away from bringing the light to other women who may be needing such information as well.

“There is nothing ethically wrong about fertility treatment, it also doesn’t offend God. But when those who have benefitted from the treatment don’t talk about it, those who needs the service would most likely not know what to do because informations about the services are scarce out there.

“Since this information is not public, we then find some people using illegal means to acquire children. I had my daughter through IVF treatment and I am proud to talk about it so that those who also needs the service can know the right thing to do,” he added.