By LILIAN U. OKORO

A 62-year-old woman, Mrs Fummi Akinade, has been successfully delivered of a baby boy in a private hospital in Lagos after 31 years in marriage without a child.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the baby was conceived through In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and delivered on Tuesday via caesarian section at 37 weeks.

The baby was born at the StrongTower Hospital and Advanced Fertility Centre, a Lagos-based private medical facility.

Akinade told NAN on Thursday in Lagos that she married in 1992 but never had a child.

Akinade said that she went through a series of gynecological treatments, including three previous IVF procedures that failed.

She said that the fourth IVF became successful.

She said that her husband had been supportive, adding that both of them remained optimistic that God would give them a child.

“This is my fourth IVF attempt, but the others were not in this hospital.

“When someone is looking for fruit of the womb, the person will be moving from one hospital or gynecologist to another, undergoing series of gynecological investigations and treatments,” she said.

Akinade said that all through the years she was looking for a child, she had strong faith in God.

“Even when I felt it was already too late to be possible, God in His infinite mercy made it possible for me in my lifetime. I return all glory to Him.

“Two major factors that kept motivating me all along are my husband’s support and one particular book that I usually read,” Akinade said.

Akinade advised couples desiring children not to give up but trust in God while seeking the right medical attention.

She identified finance as a major challenge encountered while looking for fruit of the womb, saying that fertility treatments were expensive.

She called on governments to subsidise the cost of IVF and other fertility procedures for the sake of poor couples.

“Fertility treatment is quite expensive – whether IVF or whatever. A lot of couples out there are childless and do not have the financial capacity to go for them,” she said.

Dr Ayodele Ademola, a Consultant Gynecologist, who delivered the baby, said that a woman above 62 years could still conceive through IVF or other innovative methods of assisted pregnancy.

Ademola, also the Medical Director of the hospital, said that many couples without children could still have, with the right medical care.

According to him, the major challenges most people have with IVF are the financial involvement and the fear that it can fail.

“Even if the IVF fails, there are other innovative methods of assisted pregnancy to offer, including surrogacy – that’s bringing another person to carry the pregnancy in situations where the woman is unable to carry it.

“Aside the surrogacy approach, there are other advanced methods.

“Our motive is to achieve that desired result and ensure that the woman is happy, satisfied and gets value for the money spent.

“Regarding the controversy about whether old women can conceive, there are advanced innovative methods through which they can be helped to have babies,” Ademola said.

According to Ademola, StrongTower Hospital started carrying out IVF procedure since 2014 and has recorded successful stories. (NAN)

•62-year-old Fummi Akinade after delivery

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