In this interview with RALPH OMOLOLU AGBANA, she spoke on how her experience with infertility led her into reproductive medicine.
Imagine me as a very young girl as at that time, I was reading and I had so much interest in reproductive medicine, integrated science; I was very good in chemistry and physics. In secondary school, we were like 38 in class; I would always come like second, first and sometimes third if I played too much. From secondary school, I proceeded to learning how to make hair and I also learned sewing before my results could come out.
When I channelled into infertility, like I said, I went to University College in London, University of Leeds, London, we got to know so much that we have male factor, which is 40 per cent, women factor which is 40 per cent also. Then, 20 per cent unknown . I discovered while growing up that I suffered from what we call Polycystic Ovary Syndrome . It is a very significant factor when it comes to infertility.
Now, they have their children. But it took me a while, up to 38 years of age, before I could have my own child and I had to use In Vitro Fertilisation in having my kids. People with polycystic ovary, once they crossed the age of 25 to 26, they are going to suffer it.Let me correct the society. Assisted Reproductive Technology is just to help people to conceive. Under it, you have what we call IUI . Then In Vitro Fertilisation, which is commonly known as test tube baby in the society.
On this issue, we begin to scan the woman to see that the eggs grow by every two millimetres everyday and as you know, we have a dominant follicle for between 18 to 20 days. We do a trigger; that is resources ovulation. What In Vitro means is that we are taking child outside the body. In Vivo is what happens naturally with a man and a woman when they have intercourse, but in IVF, In Vitro means outside.