A Gynecologist, Dr Tayo Adeiyi, has underscored the importance of seeking medical help for infertility after a year of unprotected intercourse. He gave this advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Lagos. Adeiyi, who is the Medical Director, Amuwo Odofin Maternal and Child Centre, said couples should seek medical assistance for infertility after 12 months of unprotected sex.
According to him, normal pregnancy should occur within 12 months of unprotected sex. He said, “If there’s regular sexual intercourse, and by regular, we say between two and three times weekly. “If the sexual exposure is unprotected, no use of any family planning method, no use of condoms, if all is well, a couple should be able to achieve pregnancy within 12 months, which is one calendar year.”
The gynecologist listed risk factors for conception to include age, infections, abnormalities with ovulation or menstruation, hormonal imbalance, damaged or blocked Fallopian tubes and abnormal sperm parameters. The fertility expert said others include pelvic inflammatory disease, Myomectomy, surgery to remove fibroid, or surgeries that can impact fertility and a history of sexually transmitted diseases.
He said couples with hormonal imbalances could be treated with medications. The gynecologist, however, said those with conditions like bilateral tubal blockage, damaged Fallopian tubes or certain kinds of male infertility might need artificial conception such as invitro-fertilization. Adeiyi cautioned against attributing infertility only to women, saying both men and women could be responsible. “Infertility is not a woman’s problem but that of a couple. That’s the first thing we must get right. “If there’s infertility in a couple, it could either be the result of a male or female factor. “If there are issues of the sperm parameters not being too good, such a woman cannot get pregnant. “Even if all other factors are right in the woman but the male that is supposed to fertilize the egg sperm parameters are not good, then there’ll be infertility,” he said.
The gynecologist advised advanced-age couples and women of over 35 years not to wait for one year before investigating the cause of delayed conception.
He also advised women with a history of first-trimester pregnancy losses to take folic acid to avoid neural tube abnormalities.
