Since it is the tradition of Africans to cherish children and frown at infertility in couples, medical experts at a recent health and wellness seminar have advised Nigerian women to take issues of reproductive health more seriously by taking precautions to prevent diseases and infections that could hinder reproduction.

Speaking on infertility at a one-day seminar held at the Business Club, Ikeja, Lagos, Consultant Gynaecologist, EKO Hospital, Dr. Adegbite Ogunmokun, described the inability of many couples to produce a child usually a year after marriage as a leading cause of distrust, unhappiness and rift in homes.

He noted that infertility becomes an issue in marriages once it is established that there is lack of pregnancy "after one year of adequate unprotected sexual exposure".

Adding that infertility could be of a primary concern to medical expert if a woman has never had a previous pregnancy at all; and of interest also to any medical expert if there had been a previous history of pregnancy regardless the outcome.

Explaining the prevalence of the condition, the gynaecologist said though globally one in 10 couples suffer from problems of infertility, but in sub-Saharan Africa, the occurrence is often seen in one out of every four couples.

"In Nigeria, both primary and secondary types of infertility are seen in approximately equal proportion of fifty-fifty; and compared to developed world, we see more cases of secondary infertility due to prevalence of infections in form of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), post-abortal (abortion complications) and puerperal sepsis (infections from delivery process)", he noted.

Adding also that the male prevalence of infertility problems is often seen in conditions that include: epididymitis, blocked Vas, obstructive azospermia (low sperm count) while in females its associated conditions include, endometritis, salpingitis and blocked fallopian tubes.

Although he pointed out that the issue of infertility has become a subject of importance due to high premium paid on childbearing in developing countries, women he said are often at the receiving end all the time because hitherto, society does not recognise that the problem could be with the man.

Giving prerequisites for natural conception to occur, Ogunmokun listed among others, "Man must be able to produce and deposit good quality sperm in the vagina, woman must be able to produce good quality eggs, the fallopian tubes must be open and eggs and sperm must be able to move freely in them while the uterus must be in such a state as to be able to receive and nurture fertilised eggs.

He advised in the treatment of couples for infertility, that couple must always be seen together by medical experts as information from both would help a great deal in success of treatment.

Ogunmokun pointed out that the outcome of conventional treatment methods are poor because couples often present cases late if there had been previous improper treatment of conditions such as STDs, poor referral system and type of infertility which could be tubal in female or associated male infertility, "which is most prevalent and condition largely irreversible".

He suggested that couples need to understand that when natural method of conception is unachievable, hope is not lost "because types of infertility in developing countries are such that Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) is very relevant - whether tubal factor or male factor".

He noted that ART is not fully exploited due to ignorance, poverty, religion, culture, low success rates at times among others.

Also speaking at the occasion, Consultant Obstetrician/ Chief Executive Officer Optimal Healthcare Company, Lagos, Dr. Femi Olaleye, urged Nigerian women to take the issue of reproductive health seriously by having regular screening exercise particularly for the cervix.

Speaking on cervical cancer, Olaleye submitted that aside breast cancer which kills more women in Nigeria, cancer of the cervix remains the commonest recorded among Nigerian women despite the fact that it is the only form of cancer that gives adequate notice before its outset.

Olaleye advised that no one should be scared of learning or reading about cancers "because from research, once you know and understand the etiology of various cancers it becomes easier to learn about its prevention, management and treatment".

He described cervical cancer as one, which gives sufficient notice before it sets in and so it is easily prevented and treated should its occurrence be discovered at the very early stage.

In his presentation, Olaleye urged women who are sexually active to embrace regular screening of the cervix for early detection.

"Cervical cancer can be prevented in young children who are yet to get exposed to sex because it has been proved that 80 per cent of the occurrence of cervical cancer is in sexually active women; by vaccination, but this would only prevent certain types of the virus causing cervical cancer.

"In most percentage of women, regular screening of the cervix at least once in three years, would reveal any irregularity or change in the cervix which would prompt medical attention", he submitted.

The health and wellness awareness seminar was organised by seasoned television presenter, Ify Onyegbule, who noted that she was prompted to organise the event as her contribution to educating Nigerian women on why it is important to make their health care an issue for the front burner.

According to Onyegbule, "women often take care of every one in the family, in the society and all around them but forget to spare a thought to look after themselves until it is too late".

She appealed to Nigerian women to make it a priority to talk to other women to screen themselves, their daughters, sisters for early detection of diseases of the reproductive organs".