NISA Premier Hospital, Abuja, has called on the federal government to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for in vitro fertilisation and surrogacy.
The group managing director of NISA Medical Group, Musa Shuaibu, made the call in an interview on Tuesday in Abuja.
Mr Shuaibu said that such a regulatory framework would address misconceptions, unethical practices and other challenges associated with assisted reproductive technology (ART).
He said that although acceptance of ART was growing among educated Nigerians, cultural beliefs, religious considerations and limited understanding continued to influence public perceptions of fertility treatments.
According to him, greater awareness is necessary to help Nigerians understand how medical science can assist couples experiencing difficulties with conception, while distinguishing legitimate medical practice from unethical activities.
“Among the enlightened, I would say we are making progress, but in many communities, people still have questions about what these procedures mean and what they are all about. We need enlightenment across different communities to let people understand that science and technology can assist couples to have babies,” he said.
Mr Shuaibu, however, warned that reported cases of unethical practices by unqualified persons could undermine public confidence in ART and increase apprehension among prospective patients.
He also urged journalists to verify medical claims and consult qualified specialists when reporting fertility treatments to avoid spreading misinformation and creating unnecessary fear.
Mr Shuaibu attributed persistent misconceptions about IVF to a mix of educational, cultural, and religious factors, noting that beliefs differed across communities and religious groups. He said sustained public education was necessary to improve understanding of fertility treatment and encourage informed decisions among couples seeking medical assistance.
On the belief that infertility was primarily a woman’s problem, Mr Shuaibu said fertility investigations should involve both partners because difficulties with conception could arise from male or female factors.
“Infertility is not exclusively a male or female issue; it is a couple’s concern. When they come for investigation, both partners are evaluated to identify the factors affecting their ability to conceive,” Mr Shuaibu said.
He explained that treatment depended on the findings of medical investigations, adding that some men required assistance with sperm collection or delivery, while some women needed interventions to address reproductive conditions.
Mr Shuaibu said the assumption that women were solely responsible for infertility placed unnecessary pressure on them and overlooked the possible contribution of male-factor infertility. He also dismissed misconceptions that children conceived through IVF were biologically different from children conceived naturally.
Mr Shuaibu explained that the IVF procedure assisted fertilisation rather than creating reproductive cells artificially.
“There is no difference in the sense that the sperm and the ovum are the same reproductive cells that would have come together naturally. What we do is use science and technology to assist fertilisation,” he said.
He explained that IVF involved collecting eggs and sperm and bringing them together in a laboratory, after which an embryo could be transferred into the woman’s uterus.
According to him, when a woman cannot carry a pregnancy, a gestational carrier may be considered, subject to appropriate medical assessment and the applicable professional and legal requirements.
Mr Shuaibu said surrogacy and IVF were related but distinct concepts, explaining that IVF was a fertilisation technique, while surrogacy involved another woman carrying a pregnancy for the intended parent or parents.
(NAN)
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