By Lukman Olabiyi
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Lagos State University, Adeniyi Adewunmi and other fertility experts have raised the alarm over growing rate of infertility in men.
The fertility experts raised the alarm at the 5th edition of Parah Fertility Conference, with the theme: “Navigating through Infertility in the 21st Century”, held in Lagos yesterday.
The conference was organised by Parah Family Foundation.
Prof Adewunmi, a consultant at the Institute of Fertility Medicine, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), who was among the lead speakers at the conference in his lecture expressed worry over the growing rate of infertility in men.
The don said that his cause of worry was as a result of day to day experience on his profession and statistic review on the causes of infertility.
According to him, male infertility is a problem with the man’s reproductive system that stops him from impregnating a female.
He said that it was a misconception for people to always believe that issue of infertility can only affect or cause in females.
Prof Adewunmi said that in recent times, the rate at which causes of infertility of couples were being attributed to male is alarming.
“Research findings show that more men are suffering from infertility than ever. And some of its causes were as a result of smoking, alcohol intake, drugs, obesity, past or present testicular infections, exposure to environmental toxins, exposure of the testicles to excessive heat, hormonal disorders, testicular trauma and ejaculatory/erectile disorders, among others”, he said.
Another fertility expert, Dr Olufemi Omololu, who is the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, also corroborated Prof Adewunmi’s stance on growing rate of infertility in men.
While the CMD of Lifeline Fertility Clinic, Dr Kemi Ailoje charged intending parents to live life devoid of stress and anxiety during the course of their waiting to be blessed with a child, she advised them to be closer to God and have faith in Him, noting that there is nothing impossible for God to do.
In her welcome address, the conference’s convener, Princess Dayo Odukoya, said that the rate of infertility and causes were alarming such that it required a continued awareness that would enable couples undergoing the challenge to speak out on time and sought for solution early in marriage rather than wait till later.
She sought for collaborations with the government, agencies, hospital and individuals to create more platforms where families undergoing infertility problem could be more comfortable to receive support, guidance and love on their journey to parenthood.
“We call on the government to please pay attention to this category of people in our society and create more avenues to accommodate them in government hospitals through awareness and preliminary fertility investigation. The month of June has been dedicated to create awareness, show love and empathize with those affected, we, therefore, urge us to do so for any family that are under going infertility”, she said.