Infertility is a big issue for any couple or married people. It means they try to get a baby, but the female is not able to get pregnant. It can be many reasons, like health issues, infection, and waiting too long to have a baby. It may also be related to complications after surgeries like hysterectomy, where issues such as symptoms of torn internal stitches after hysterectomy can affect a woman’s reproductive health.
Every married couple should have children, it is very important for their life. When a couple does not have children, it can be caused by many factors, like sadness, stress, and problems in marriage. In this article, we will discuss the best procedure for IVF, cost-effectiveness, and success rates.
What Is IVF?
IVF means In Vitro Fertilization. It is a medical procedure that helps with fertility issues to get pregnant. This procedure is done by medical labs, in vitro means in glass, which refers to fertilization that happens outside the body. In this process where eggs are taken from a woman’s ovaries and fertilized by sperm in a lab. Once fertilized, the resulting embryos are monitored by doctors, and one or more healthy embryos are transferred, it sent back into the woman’s uterus to achieve pregnancy.
Who Needs IVF?
There are certain considerations for the people who may require IVF:
- IVF may be recommended for individuals or married couples:
- occluded (fallopian tubes become blocked)
- Male infertility factors, issues like low sperm count and motility
- Unexplained infertility after other treatments fail
- Endometriosis affecting fertility
- Ovulation disorders
- cystic fibrosis or Huntington’s disease
- like egg freezing, embryo freezing
IVF Procedures In Nigeria
1. Before IVF: Check-Ups And Tests
Here are the most important points that you need to consider before IVF treatment. Look at below:
- You meet a doctor who checks your health and talks about your problem with having a baby.
- You take some tests, like blood tests and scans to check your ovaries and uterus.
- Your partner also does a sperm test.
- The doctor explains how IVF works, what to expect, and how much it costs.
- A plan is made based on your test results.
2. During IVF: Getting Eggs, Fertilizing, And Putting Back Into Embryos
- You will get daily hormone injections for 1 to 2 weeks to help your ovaries produce more and more eggs.
- The doctor checks your progress with scans and blood tests.
- When the eggs are ready, you get an injection to finish egg maturity.
- The eggs are collected from your ovaries with a small needle, using an ultrasound to guide it.
- The eggs are mixed with sperm in the lab to make embryos.
- If any other embryos are remaining, they can be freez for future use.
- Other leftover embryos can be frozen for future use.
3. After IVF: Care And Follow-Up
- You take medicines to help the womb get ready for the baby.
- Rest and avoid hard work for a few days.
- About two weeks later, you do a pregnancy test.
- If positive, the doctor will do scans to check the baby’s growth.
- If it doesn’t work, the doctor will discuss what to do next.
Benefits Of IVF Treatment
Here are the benefits of IVF treatment who are willing to go through.
- Helps Couples Have a Baby
- Works for Many Fertility Problems
- Gives Older Women a Chance
- Can Use Donor Eggs or Sperm
- Can Help Prevent Genetic Diseases
- You Can Choose to Freeze Embryos
- LGBTQ+ and Single Parents Can Have Children
Cost Of IVF In Nigeria
Nigeria provides an affordable price in the medical field with proper facilities.
- Normal IVF treatment come under: ₦1.2 million to ₦2.5 million
- All complete or advanced treatments come under: ₦2.5 million to ₦4.5 million
- With extras like donor eggs or advanced lab work comes under: ₦4 million to ₦5 million+
What Affects The Cost?
Cost increment is totally depend on the various conditions.
- Your age and health: It depends on the age of the woman, those with fertility problems may need more treatment or cycles.
- Extra needed: Some clinics charge extra for tests, drugs, or freezing embryos.
- Special procedures: Like using donor sperm, ICSI, or doing genetic testing – these cost more.
Extra Or Hidden Costs To Watch Out For
These are often not included in the basic IVF price:
- Medications: Fertility drugs can cost hundreds of thousands of Naira.
- Tests: Blood tests, scans, sperm check, etc.
- Embryo freezing & storage: To keep extra embryos frozen for further use, increased costs.
- Follow-up care: Like blood work or scans during the process, it needs to monitor daily well-being.
- Anesthesia or surgery fees: For egg retrieval or other steps.
Can Insurance Or Payment Plans Help?
Most countries provide medical insurance or a medical scheme for low-income individuals, but in Nigeria, there are specific conditions.
- Most health insurance in Nigeria doesn’t cover IVF.
- Some clinics let you pay in parts (payment plans).
- The government may provide some medical scheme, or teaching hospitals may offer cheaper options, but not always.
Success Rates Of IVF In Nigeria
Success rates of IVF depend on several factors, as you can see below:
- Young women (<30 years): 60–70% chance of getting pregnant.
- Ages 30–34: Around 50%.
- Ages 35–39: About 25%.
- Ages 40 and above: The Chance may be less than 10%.
Note: These are pregnancy rates; it is not guaranteed to result in live births.
How To Improve Chances Of Success Rates
Best suggestions to improve success rates in IVF treatment.
- Do not wait for too long, start early.
- Try to be in good health: eat well, stay fit, and do not take stress.
- Stop and avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
- Choose a good clinic: ask about their success rates and the experience of the doctors.
- Consider donor eggs if you are older.
- Be ready for more than one IVF cycle: it often takes 2 or 3 tries.
Top IVF Clinics In Nigeria
1. The Bridge Clinic – Port Harcourt
- IVF, sperm or egg donation, freezing eggs, tests, counselling
- One of the oldest clinics. Many happy patients. High success rate (especially for younger women).
- A bit expensive, but reliable.
2. Nordica Fertility Centre – Asaba
- IVF, ICSI, egg freezing, male infertility treatment, genetic tests
- Advanced technology, good doctors. Many people trust them.
- Costs are on the higher side.
3. Olive Branch Clinic – Lagos
- IVF, tests, ICSI, fertility checks
- Good environment, supportive staff. Many success stories.
- Not as large as others, but still highly rated.
Conclusion
In vitro fertilization in Nigeria is expected to shine in the near future. In addition to the increased number of fertility centers and the rising number of doctors with specialized training in the field, IVF treatment is becoming more and more available and affordable due to technology and more awareness. Usage of IVF may spread further and achieve more success all over the nation in the future.
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