The first twins conceived in the country through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), in a private clinic, unveils a world-class IVF facility in Lagos. WALE ADEPOJU was there.
The twins exude confidence. They beamed with smiles. They chatted and mingled with the guests, gathered at the unveiling of the world-class fertility clinic.
Kosisochukwu and Ogechu-kwu Emekwue were conceived through the same procedure some 13 years ago. They were invited by the assisted reproductive centre, The Bridge Clinic, as chief guests, to unveil the clinic’s state of the art clinic, which is an improvement on the facility where they were conceived years ago.
The twins, the first in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) babies of the clinic, were the cynosure of all eyes as they unveiled the new facility in Ikeja, Lagos State.
They were a wonder to behold on arrival.
People marvelled and remarked openly “at God’s wonders”, words used to describe them, as they heeded the Medical Director (MD), Dr Richardson Ajayi’s call when he beckoned on them to open the centre. They cut the tape. Declared the facility opened, for use of humanity. To bring smiles, joy and fulfilment to homes as they did. They were applauded by the guests.
Speaking on their conception, their mother, Mrs Ifeoma Emekwue, said she took the step after six years of marriage without pregnancy.
“I was finding it hard to conceive, so I was in that condition for six years. After going to several hospitals, I came to The Bridge, the doctor advised I have an IVF. I had gone to different places, including churches. I was diagnosed of blocked tubes due to an ectopic pregnancy. I realised that I had no chance for conceiving naturally,” she said.
Mrs Emekwue said she got to know about IVF through a friend who encouraged her never to lose hope but rather ‘try the procedure’.
“I went to the clinic but the MD, Dr Ajayi told me they were not yet ready that he was going to call me when they are ready. This was in 1998, so he called us in 1999. I went on and had the procedure and got pregnant and delivered a set of twins on January 19, 2000,” she said.
She said the family didn’t come out to tell their story because people believed that the babies will be stigmatised. But the truth of the matter is if I’m childless I will even be stigmatised than when I have a baby through IVF,” she added.
Mrs Emekwue said she had always made it known to people that she was happy about it and wanted other women who are having similar experiences to know about it.
“A lot of women don’t even know what IVF is. So I wanted people to know. My friends were even asking me why I wanted people to know but I said it wasn’t a crime. God did it for me and I want other women to know about it so that they can also benefit from it,” she said.
Mrs Emekwue said her husband had been very supportive and she had other people helping her to raise the children because they grew up like all other children. “As you can see, they are big and matured. They will clock 14 in January by the grace of God,” she said.
She said it was difficult initially to convince her husband to allow them have an IVF. “So, when I went to The Bridge Clinic the first time, I didn’t tell him because I didn’t just want to be telling stories that I don’t know about. I only went to enquire and then tell him my findings. He was going to go anyway if I was going to go there. When I went there and came to tell him, he was angry. He said how dare you go to the clinic without telling me. Are you the husband? I told him that Dr Ajayi wanted to see him. He said tell him to tie a rope around my neck and drag me to his office.
“But with a little bit of emotional blackmail of cry and the rest, he followed me to see him. But, initially, he was very angry not because he didn’t want to go but because I went ahead to enquire without letting him know. But I told him I wanted to find out the necessary information,’ she said.
She said she was through with child bearing, adding that she has male and female children.
Mrs Emekwue advised any couple trying IVF to go ahead because it is not evil.
She said: “The procedure is not painful, even if it is, can one month of injection compared to a life time joy?”
Dr Ajayi said it is the clinic’s professional response to provide patients with best facility to help solve their problems.
He said 1,500 babies were born in the clinic’s facilities in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, adding that the clinic has been accredited since 2004.
He said the facility collaborated with Prof Nicholas Zech, an IVF expert based in Austria because he has 25 years experience and over 25,000 babies born throgh his expertise. “The current facility can ensure 70 per cent chances of achieving pregnancy,” he said.
On the collaboration, Prof Zech said his clinic had carefully selected The Bridge clinic because of its history as a standard clinic, which is among the very few with ISO.
“Success is measured through subjective and objective measurements.”
Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Femi Olugbile, said the state has set up a committee to regulate IVF practice in the state.
He said Nigeria needs to have a conducive atmosphere so that it can perform open heart surgery and other complicated medical procedure, adding: “We need to make standard the basic starting point. This will ensure that patients are protected.”
