It was boundless joy at St Ives Hospital Lagos when a 53-year-old
woman was recently delivered of two bouncing baby boys. The woman was
conceived through Invitro Fertilisation (IVF), having waited for over
20 years in humiliation and agony.
IVF is a process by which an egg is fertilised bysperm outside the
body. The process involves monitoring a woman's ovulatory process,
removing ovum or ova (egg or eggs) from the woman's ovaries and
letting sperm fertilise them in a fluid medium in a laboratory.
The fertilised egg (zygote) is then transferred to the patient's
uterus (womb) after three to five days of being in the incubator, with
the intention of establishing a successful pregnancy.
In a chat with Vanguard in Lagos, the elated woman, who pleaded
anonymity, probably for cultural reasons, described it as "20 years of
tensed waiting for her marriage to produce fruits."
The jubilant nursing mother and her husband said they were not after
publicity but decided to speak to the press in order to encourage
couples who are presently facing similar challenges in their marriage
not to give up, adding that it is never too late for anyone.
She admitted that she has almost given up when it was obvious that
menopause had set in but continued to exercise her religious
faith,until according to her, God directed her to St Ives Centre, even
when she was not having the required money to carry out the IVF
circle.
" If one is in a marriage for two - three years, and has no child to
show for it, as an African, there will be pressure, so mine was not
exceptional. Though my people respected my person, there were
pressures both from within and outside. But l held on to God because
I'm a strong Christian and l know He never fails. I serve a living God
who is faithful despite our unfaithfulness.
"I heard about St Ives just by chance. That was in September last
year. Coincidentally, l did my Masters programme at Obafemi Awolowo
University (OAU), very close to the hospital, andl never knew this
place existed.
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