UCH commences IVF services with 5 women

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5 years ago

University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, as part of its effort to bring smiles to the faces of couples having problems with having babies have commenced in vitro fertilisation (IVF) services.

The team lead of the group, Professor Sina Oladokun speaking on the launch of the treatment cycle for IVF in five patients at its hospital’s IVF centre, said recruitment for the next batch of clients for the service has commenced.

Professor Oladokun said the IVF will now be done periodically at the hospital after each batch of women recruited has completed their investigations.

He said the average cost of IVF services is N800,000 and that payment is made flexible to ensure all people interested in IVF services can access the services at the hospital.

According to the fertility expert, “some people have been paying in installments, it is when they finish that we start treatment. On average, it costs about N800, 000. However, the cost is not the same thing for everyone. Some people have extra needs that require more money.

“The IVF procedure involves basically egg collection, incubation and embryo transplant, so what we did today was basically egg collection. The procedure is safe, we are all expecting as many babies as possible because some will end up having two, some may end up having more than two.”

Professor Oladokun said no woman with infertility is exempted from the procedure, adding, “we want to remove the belief that public institutions cannot do it. We have structures in place to ensure continuity which is the most important. We are happy to say we have started. No going back on it.”

UCH’s Chief Medical Director, Professor Abiodun Otegbayo said: “This reiterates my promise to put all the needed equipment, facilities and personnel in place to ensure that the IVF centre commences full operation.”

The hospital’s IVF building was first commissioned in 2011 and was recommissioned in February 2019, yet without the required equipment, facilities and personnel in place for effective take off.