Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, Prof. Adebayo Adeniyi, has warned that untreated or poorly managed infections are a leading cause of infertility in women.
Adeniyi, who is also the Medical Director of Olives Fertility Centre in Ado Ekiti, said infections are the most common cause of blocked fallopian tubes, which often prevent conception. He stressed the need for women to seek medical care at hospitals instead of resorting to self-medication.
Speaking in Ado Ekiti on Saturday, Adeniyi highlighted the dangers of pelvic infections while commenting on the recent case of a 60-year-old woman who conceived through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) at his centre.
“IVF is the last resort when a woman has tried for years without conceiving naturally,” he explained. “Some problems can be corrected medically, but in some cases, natural conception is not possible.”
He identified tube blockage from poorly treated pelvic infections, often contracted through unprotected sex, as the most frequent cause of delayed conception. Early symptoms, he said, may include abnormal vaginal discharge.
While stressing prevention, Adeniyi encouraged condom use as a reliable way to guard against both infections and unwanted pregnancies. He expressed concern that nearly 80 percent of unmarried young people in Nigeria do not use condoms.
“Instead of going to hospitals where proper tests and treatment can be done, many women buy drugs that may not fully treat infections,” he added. “This increases the risk of long-term complications, including infertility.”
Since October 2019, Adeniyi’s fertility centre has recorded 123 successful births through IVF, including 20 sets of twins and eight sets of triplets. Patients often travel from other states and countries for treatment, he said.
Another fertility expert, Dr. Jaiyeoba Adeyemi, recently urged couples trying unsuccessfully to conceive for more than a year to seek fertility evaluation. He stressed that women aged 35 and above should act quickly, as fertility declines significantly with age.
