A Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Lagos State University, Adeniyi Adewunmi, has expressed shock at the rising cases of infertility among men in Nigeria.
Adewunmi was the lead speaker at the fifth edition of Parah Fertility Conference, with the theme, “Navigating Infertility in the 21st Century”, held in Lagos on Saturday.
Adewunmi, who is also a consultant at the Institute of Fertility Medicine, LASUTH, said his anxiety over the increasing cases of infertility in men emanated from his professional day-to-day experience and statistical review.
Research findings show that more men are suffering from infertility than ever
According to him, male infertility indicates a problem with a man’s reproductive system, which makes him unable to impregnate a female, adding that it is wrong for people to believe that the issue of infertility could only affect or be caused by a female.
“Research findings show that more men are suffering from infertility than ever. And some of its causes are as a result of smoking, alcohol intake, drug abuse, 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, Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, also corroborated Adewunmi’s findings on the growing rate of infertility in men.
The CMD of Lifeline Fertility Clinic, Dr. Kemi Ailoje, charged intending couples to live life devoid of stress and anxiety while working to achieve pregnancy.
Earlier in her welcome address, the conference’s convener, Princess Dayo Odukoya, said the rate of infertility and causes were alarming, such that it required continued awareness to enable couples undergoing the challenge to speak out in time and seek solutions early in marriage rather than leaving it late.
She added, “We call on government to 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.”
