Eko Hospital champions fertility treatment in Lagos, launches new center.

Nigerian couples seeking high standard fertility treatment can now access such services as Ekocorp Plc, owners of EKO hospitals, officially launched its fertility treatment centre in Lagos.
The initiative is aimed at alleviating challenges of couples in achieving pregnancy as well as raising the bar in infertility treatment.
During a media presentation of the centre, dubbed Ekocorp Fertility Centre, Chairman/Joint Chief Medical Director, Ekocorp Plc, Dr. Sunny Kuku explained that the need to ensure quality and accessible specialist fertility care at the highest level informed the set up of the centre.
He said 57 clients have so far obtained treatment at the centre, out of which 27 pregnancies were recorded, averaging 36 per cent success rate in less than two years of operation.
Kuku also said with such fertility centres in place, more Nigerian couples would have access to high class Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART).
Giving insight into the growing infertility rates in Nigeria and the world at large, he said: “Normal sperm count is now 10 million. It used to be 40 – 50 million. This means that the chance is now lower for the woman to get pregnant. Untreated infection is a major cause of infertility in our environment. It could lead to low sperm count in men and blocked tubes in women. But when a woman is highly fertile and the man has low sperm, the woman can compensate for that and it is verse versa”
The Chief Medical Officer, Eko Hospitals, Dr. Adegbite Ogunmokun, said the centre would provide avenue for training specialist doctors with interest in fertility care in line with their philosophy. “The first batch of patients were treated in November/December 2009 all had Sperm Injection (ICSI) and out of 11 patients, four were successful, that is 36 per cent, and have had their babies now, two sets of twins and one singleton delivery and one early pregnancy loss. Treatment of infertile couples continued thereafter in batches up till now.
He hinted that the centre is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment as well as an experienced team of fertility care specialists “As at now, we have conceived and delivered 10 children and there are 13 ongoing pregnancies. “Our results to date are respectable and compares favourably with what obtains with fertility clinics of similar status in the developing world.”
He said the success story right from take-off provided the needed comittment of the Board of Directors and the team of experts managing the centre to its success and growth.
The centre, which is equipped for IVF and other novel ART procedures, also has in place a quality based, result oriented, patient-centered fertility care programme with good prospects for rapid growth and expansion.
Specifically it offers treatment only to couples with women aged
25 – 55. He said the age of the woman among other considerations, determines the number of embryos transferred into her womb. “We usually implant two embryos especially in younger women. But in older women, three embryos are transferred because chances of achieving and retaining pregnancy are lower. That is why they often have multiple births.”
Stating that the centre was concieved 10 years ago, he explained that the need for adequate preparation, logistics and the drive to get it right from the beginning, delayed the takeoff of the programme till 2009.
However, the centre plans to continue with the same focus but with increased vigour, commitment of providing high quality fertility care and to take the practice to the next level. “We intend to let the whole world know that we are there for them and that our processes and procedures are tested and can be trusted, even with our modest achievement” he added.jor cause of infertility in our environment. It could lead to low sperm count in men and blocked tubes in women. But when a woman is highly fertile and the man has low sperm, the woman can compensate for that and it is verse versa”
The Chief Medical Officer, Eko Hospitals, Dr. Adegbite Ogunmokun, said the centre would provide avenue for training specialist doctors with interest in fertility care in line with their philosophy. “The first batch of patients were treated in November/December 2009 all had Sperm Injection (ICSI) and out of 11 patients, four were successful, that is 36 per cent, and have had their babies now, two sets of twins and one singleton delivery and one early pregnancy loss. Treatment of infertile couples continued thereafter in batches up till now.
He hinted that the centre is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment as well as an experienced team of fertility care specialists “As at now, we have conceived and delivered 10 children and there are 13 ongoing pregnancies. “Our results to date are respectable and compares favourably with what obtains with fertility clinics of similar status in the developing world.”
He said the success story right from take-off provided the needed comittment of the Board of Directors and the team of experts managing the centre to its success and growth.
The centre, which is equipped for IVF and other novel ART procedures, also has in place a quality based, result oriented, patient-centered fertility care programme with good prospects for rapid growth and expansion.
Specifically it offers treatment only to couples with women aged
25 – 55. He said the age of the woman among other considerations, determines the number of embryos transferred into her womb. “We usually implant two embryos especially in younger women. But in older women, three embryos are transferred because chances of achieving and retaining pregnancy are lower. That is why they often have multiple births.”
Stating that the centre was concieved 10 years ago, he explained that the need for adequate preparation, logistics and the drive to get it right from the beginning, delayed the takeoff of the programme till 2009.However, the centre plans to continue with the same focus but with increased vigour, commitment of providing high quality fertility care and to take the practice to the next level. “We intend to let the whole world know that we are there for them and that our processes and