Rwanda's development in recent years continues to be driven by technological advancements across various sectors. This technology is also playing a crucial role in the country's ambitious goal of becoming a healthcare hub for the region, Africa, and beyond.
The country is making strides in helping mothers conceive children using In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), a technology that involves minimum invasive surgery.
It helps couples conceive where natural methods are impossible due to reproductive health problems such as infertility.
Available information indicates that some of the issues leading couples to seek IVF include blocked fallopian tubes which prevent the smooth flow of the fertilization process. Such problems in women are often related to age and irregular menstrual cycles.
Men, however, may also seek IVF services due to anomalies such as low sperm count, poor sperm quality and production of immature sperms, among others.
To date, around eight million babies globally have been born through this method of combining sperm and egg outside the body and implanting the embryo in the mother's womb.
According to medics at Kanombe Military Hospital (where this technology is available), 15% of mothers seeking gynaecology services face such issues.
Dr. Eugene Ngoga, a gynaecology specialist and expert in IVF technology says that late 2020, 108 babies have been born using IVF.
'Another 20 mothers are currently pregnant and awaiting delivery. Many people are opting for this service because infertility issues are very upsetting. We see up to 200 patients monthly,' he said. The hospital has six doctors assisting with this technology
How is IVF administered?
For IVF to be successful, a woman with infertility issues is given medication to help her eggs mature over a period of 10 to 12 days. The maturity of the eggs is determined using ultrasound methods and then extracted.
Together with follicular fluid, the eggs are then examined by specialists to rule out any abnormalities.
Dr. Ngoga explains once the eggs are ready, the man provides his sperm, which is also examined and processed being combined with the egg outside the human body.
The embryo is then kept under supervision in the laboratory (maintained at a temperature of 37°C for five days) to safeguard the process of fertilization and ensure progressive development. At this point, the embryo is then artificially implanted in the woman's uterus.
'We fertilise more than one embryo and store the rest for potential future use, in a highly controlled environment where they can last up to 10 years,' Ngoga says.
As a precautionary measure to increase the chances of a successful pregnancy, two embryos are implanted in the mother's uterus. In most cases, it results in the birth of twins.
Sometimes more than two embryos are implanted, but Ngoga says that two is optimal due to the difficulty of managing complications that come with preterm births.
Implanting the embryos takes about two minutes and is not painful. After ten days, a test is carried out to determine whether the procedure was successful.
It should be noted that IVF is the last option if other treatments for infertility have failed, as all underlying issues are examined.
What is the cost?
While there is no price one can attach to attaining a child, IVF services are typically expensive and not covered by medical insurance.
Costs vary based on infrastructure, facility capabilities, medication, and embryo care. Repeated attempts can increase costs. In Rwanda, IVF services cost about RWF 5.5 million in a private hospital.
However, at Kanombe Military Hospital, efforts to reduce costs to encourage more people to access these services are underway.
'At our hospital, we have managed to lower the cost to 2.5 million Rwandan Francs due to government support but in the region, it's much more expensive,' he said.
Research indicates that in Uganda, the price is about $7000. In Kenya, it's even much more expensive due to the sophisticated equipment involved.
Currently, no medical insurance policy in Rwanda covers these services, but the Military Hospital is working with relevant bodies to get insurance to cover IVF.
Despite superstitious concerns, health experts affirm that apart from fertilization occurring outside the body, the pregnancy progress and childbirth are completely normal.
Sam K Nkurunziza
Source : https://en.igihe.com/health/article/understanding-ivf-as-a-path-to-motherhood
