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HEALTH MATTERS WITH DR. Julz- on 99.3 fm Nigerian Info
Topic: IVF: Hope For Parenthood.


Guests:
Dr. Faye Iketubosin (MD Georges Memorial Medical Center; an obstetrician)
Ms Foluke Phillip (Embryologist, Georges Memorial Medical Center)
Guest Appearance: Seyi Law (Comedian).



Original Transcription of this interview exclusively done by www.nairaroot.com

Hello and welcome to today’s episode of Health Matters with Dr Julz and I hope you have been waiting for us, because today we’re doing something really special and have been twitting about it and have been putting it on instagram, facebook and everywhere. Also I know you’re on Google + because we’re alive, and the link for the show if you’ll like to join us there is www.google.com+/nigeriainfoFM. Ok, today it’s all about hope for parenthood. We have been talking about it for a while and it’s all about IVF and infertility, and we have IVF center in the house Georges’ Memorial medical center. So they’re here to do something really special, they call it “IVF summer price slash”, so all IVF treatments, all treatments of infertility there is a huge price slash, 25% off and we’re talking about it right now. So in the studio with me now is MD Georges Memorial Center, he is an obstetrician, he has practiced extensively in the UK and now he’s here with us. His center is in “Lekki Phace 1”, we have Dr Faye Iketubosin in the studio, welcome Sir.



IVF

Dr Faye Iketubosin: Good morning, its good to be here.

Dr.Julz: Thank you very much for joining us today and we are very very happy to have you. I’d like you to first talk about what Georges memorial does because now people are going to realize that it’s a fertility center, so just give us a brief history of it and how long it has been around for.

Dr. Faye Iketubosin: Thank you very much and good morning once again listeners. Georges, started in about 2006 and Georges has full range of services and we do starting from antenatal services, delivery services, infant and child welfare, immunization services, and of course we do a complete range of fertility services starting from investigation through to treatment and we offer a continuum of treatment such that when a woman comes to us for the first time seeking to have a child, we are able to investigate her thoroughly, make a diagnosis and offer her the most appropriate treatment and hopefully when she does succeed and get pregnant, we’re also able to continue her care by offering her antenatal services, delivery her babies. And then of course it doesn’t always stop there, we continue with the children right up till they start school. So we offer a full range of services.

Dr.Julz: Fantastic! So it’s a totality of care, from the moment the child and the other members of the family…

Dr Faye iketubosin: Indeed..

Dr. Julz: fantastic! So today, we’re talking about IVF and you did mention that the month of August 2015 is really special. Please can you explain to us the IVF summer price slash and what was the basis of this whole promotion?

Dr. Faye Iketubosin: IVF has should I say I won’t call it a stigma, but IVF has a downside and that is cost. IVF is very expensive wherever you try to access it in any part of the world And its not far fetch to understand why it’s expensive. Equipments for IVF is very expensive and all the consumables are not found in this part of the country like Nigeria where we don’t manufacture anything relating to IVF like the needles, media anything we use we have to import and if you consider the changing price of the dollar, the pound, foreign exchange; changes that we’ve experienced. It’s not far fetch to understand why the cost of offering the treatment is quite high. However, we understand that this is a burden for women and we did come across women on a daily basis who need to have IVF not to a fault of their own because of one challenge or the other, and they just don’t have means to access care. So we thought why don’t we try and do something to improve access for these women and make it easier for them to access care, let them have this sort of experience and hopefully, realize their quest.

Dr.Julz: Exactly. And one other thing I realize as well that you offer at George’s memorial is the payment. It can also be installment so have learnt. You Apart of the discount, you can also do that?

Dr. Faye Iketubosin: Yes, well during our normal IVF service, we do encourage women if those who cannot afford to pay at one sitting, they can start gather their payment, As long as they complete their payment before the end of the treatment. With the promotion we’re doing or the price slash we’re doing, we advice that you try and make your payment in full before the end of the promo which is August. By then you have the liberty to access your treatment even after August if August is not conducive for you.

Dr. Julz: Ok, fantastic! If you’re just tuning in, we’re talking about hope for parenthood with expert from Georges Memorial Medical Center, it’s all about fertility and your hope for having your loved one having a smile in home ok, and I think it’s a fantastic project. One of the questions we get on social media because we’ve been promoting this, we have a lot of people following us, and there was one in particular from a celebrity, a super model in Tanzania, she’s a spoke person for endometriosis and she has been very open about her struggle with infertility and you know her procedures with IVF. So her own question, you know she feels a little bit commercialized IVF centers are going after women that have difficulties with infertility and I tried to explain to her on an empathetic level but do you have anything to say about that? Because she influences a lot of people, so what do you have to say about what she’s saying?

Dr. Faye Iketubosin: Endometriosis can be quite a challenging condition for any woman, and indeed I empathize with her because it’s not a problem that she had any control over. The cause of endometriosis we don’t really know, and it does affect women to varying degrees and for some it is pains, they battle with pains for years and years and years. And they are prone to have multiple surgeries done and so on. Often times, surgeries by the wrong people which leads them to compromise in there fertility and then they end up with IVF practitioners. Now what are we saying? Endometriosis is a difficult condition and without any retractions, I think it needs to be treated specially and really try and see how best to help them. IVF does offer them the best hope in most cases, particularly in very severe cases. But if you compare success rates in women who have endometriosis, compare to those who have say other simpler conditions like ovulation problem then their success rate are lower and it is not difficult to understand why because endometriosis damages the ovaries and the ovaries are the source of the eggs…..

Dr. Julz: (cuts in) Even the tubes

Dr Faye iketubosin: Well IVFs don’t really need the tubes, but if you don’t have eggs, that’s the problem. And more recently, endometriosis has always been very topical, particularly at all fertility meetings and of gynecologists and fertility specialist. And we’ve now come to the agreement so to speak, that we should have specialist practitioners (gynecologists) who are experienced in performing surgeries in women having endometriosis in their ovaries, so that we do not cause damage for them long term because some of times, these people present at a very young age and a woman who have surgery say at the age of 22 years, will need to find out at the age of 28 that she’s infertile, that is disaster.

Dr. Julz: (cuts in) It is! It is! Because she has been living with this condition for like 12 years, she’s had 12 surgeries, so you can imagine how fragile her emotional state is. So that been said for somebody like Meline Mergies, is there any form of emotional support towards the women that comes in for the IVF treatment because these are really fragile people.

Dr Faye iketubosin: Yes. IVF itself is such a roller coaster treatment. Not everybody will succeed at the first go and we know that. People come to IVF with great expectations yes! And they have every right to believe so. But the reality in life is that, not everybody will succeed; first time, second time, even third attempt. It’s actually much worse in our own cultural setting because, fertility or infertility is always seen as a woman’s problem and so she goes through the pains of going through the treatments injections and all that and at the end of the day, she’s not lucky to get pregnant then it’s actually a disaster for her, and it’s even made worse if she puts all her resources into that attempt, So it can throw her into depression. so what we do is, we try to counsel them before and we counsel them afterwards just to help them along the way. I do recall there is at least half a dozen women where we have giving them an absolutely free cycle because we actually felt that it would help them psychologically and help them emotionally and even if they didn’t succeed at that cycle, it will really booster their morale.

Dr. Julz: Fantastic! Fantastic! So we’re talking about hope for parenthood with Georges Memorial medical Center and Dr. Faye is here, he’s not alone he came in with a beautiful lady who is an embryologist and she’s quite shy (lol) oh! Two beautiful ladies Oh! My goodness. Sorry we have Eromina in the studio with us as well, and I’d like to ask her real quick; she’s an embryologist just to give us a quick explanation of what she does as an embryologist , and the success rate of the IVF procedures so far at the Georges Memorial medical Center.

Miss Foluke Phillip: (The Embryologist): Good morning everyone

Dr. Julz: (LOL) that’s Foluke Phillip of course.

Foluke Phillip: the embryologist is actually the scientist that takes care of the lab aspect of infertility treatments. So we do what you’d say the mixing in the lab, the embryos and then the doctors do the transfer, and basically that’s what I do.

Dr. Julz: fantastic! That must be a very sensitive job…

Folake Phillip (Cuts in) It is, it takes a lot of attention to details and also you get emotionally involved as well knowing this are potential lives you’re dealing with.

Dr. Julz: Exactly, so what has been the success rate so far for George’s memorial center?

Foluke Phillip: as of the middle of this year, we’re currently running at 49% success rate...

Dr. Julz: (cuts in) 49%?

Foluke Phillip: Yes mam,

Dr Julz: That is absolutely fantastic

Foluke Phillip: We thank God

Dr. Julz: That is very encouraging and how long have you been with them Foluke?

Foluke Phillip: Almost 10 years now

Dr. Julz: Really?

Foluke Phillip: Yes.

Dr. Julz: you need to go to Google+ to see this lady, because I thought she is an intern or something, I don’t understand maybe their some kind of secret in George’s That is going on because I need to tap into that. You look absolutely fantastic.

Foluke Phillip: Thank you.

Dr. Julz: Yes I’m really excited about (lol); yeah, we have a special guest in the studio guys and I want you guys to stay tuned because we’re going to open the phone lines soon “cos I can see your calls coming in. we’re going to open the phone lines but let me just quickly give you a teaser, he wants to say something maybe you should guess who.

Seyi Law (The comedian): Yes! Yes! Yes! (LOOOOOLLLLL) That’s actually because George’s Memorial is my hospital. I was introduced to the hospital by A.Y., A.Y. the comedian, and my name is “Seyi Law” GCFR of the black land of the federal republic, have been so excited ‘cos I’m with my doctor… (LOOOOOLLLLLLLLL)….

Dr. Julz: (LOOOL) He saw Dr. Faye and he was like oh! My God! He was screaming and everything, and I was like oh! My goodness! Who’s the celebrity? What is going on here?

Seyi Law: (LOL) And Eromina, she’s just a wonderful person, she’s the queen of George’s….

Dr. Julz: Are you serious? She just developed like an extra ten teeth and her smile is going hay wire.

Seyi Law: Trust me, I’m one of those few people who are always supporting people given good service and ‘have enjoyed that. I know a lot of people heard about the fact that my wife lost her baby and all that, and we had the best care from George’s Memorial, and it’s a testimony for me and I know babies are coming so many more even to others..

Dr. Julz: Even to many more people, and my heart goes out to you Seyi for your experience, and I know a lot of people can relate to that. So we take a quick break and it’s all about hope for parenthood here on health matters with Dr. Julz and we’re talking with the specialist from the George’s Memorial Medical Center. Put a smile in your home, one in four young couples are suffering with infertility and it should not be so. Its 25% discount this month August 2015, you don’t want to miss out. Less go for a quick break, and then we open the phone lines don’t go far.

Dr. Julz: And the show continues, it’s health matters with Dr. Julz and today. It’s all about hope for parenthood, and of course if you’ll like to join the conversation on twitter, you just have to #Hopeforparenthood follow me @Doctorjulz the conversation continues even after we leave the studio. We’ve been talking about IVF summer price slash from George’s memorial Medical Center and it has been fantastic. I see you calls coming in and I’m going to call out the phone lines so that you can get to join us. In the studio of course is the MD of the George’s Memorial Medical Center, he’s a gynecologist and a fertility expert Dr. Faye Iketubosin. And the embryologist that handles all the eggs and does all the magic in the lab; she’s Ms Foluke Phillip, and also, we also have a surprise guest Seyi Law! He has been absolutely fantastic, and then we’ve been on Google + and you can see us and you can stream us live and watch us as well on Nigeria info FM. Let’s call the phone numbers and then we take a couple of questions ok. Call us up on 012773993,012771993,012772992,012773993, this is Nigeria Info, we are listening. Ok, that’s the phone lines you get to call.

Dr. Julz: (phone call) Hello? Good morning, do you have a question for us?

Wale: (caller): Good morning, my name is wale what I have is kind of comment, appreciation and the likes. I so appreciate your effort Dr. Julz and also the guests in the studio. I feel my comment will be related to the topic though, it’s something difficult to have around when you talk about emotion considering the population of the Nigeria on the high side, most thousands of people in Nigeria have been starved of this. You mention something about emotion, and I feel some of these are been tampered or disturbed by the government not the government per say, I’m saying eventually when the pregnancy is there, most parent make use of the general hospital and their emotion is normally tampered. I’m saying when you go to the general hospital; the way they are treated is like they are useless people and seriously, that’s the way they treat people…

Dr. Julz: (Cuts in) When you say “the way they are treated” who are they? Who are you talking about specifically?

Wale: (Caller) The way the pregnant women are handled in general hospitals, I know you’re very passionate about health care, if you’re opportune to go to any general hospital, you see the way they’re been treated, if they say they want to get their right or something they just abandon them, they won’t attend to them, and I feel emotionally it can affect the baby they’re bearing. It can take 2-3 weeks before they can get themselves registered, so I feel if you go through this process….Hello!

Dr. julz: Yes I can hear you Wale, so your concern is about the emotional well being of the mother. Ok, no problem I understand what you’re trying to say Wale and it’s a good thing our guest just emphasize that they do not take those things for granted. They have counselors at Georges’ Memorial Center and they handle the emotional states of the client. Let’s take a couple of questions, and we’ll handle them collectively.

: Hello

Dr. Julz: Hello! Welcome, thank you for joining us on the show. May we know you and say your question real quick.

Tunde: (Caller) Good morning my name is Tunde, and I just want to digress a little. I happen to be a person that has issues with child bearing initially and then we were going from pillar to post and it ended up ruining my first marriage. My question is for your guest in the house, do they have a department in the hospital that counsel expecting couples because sometimes there is so much emotional baggage attached to this couples, nobody is to advice them, what to expect, what to do etc. and they’re just generally confused running from pillar to post and they don’t know how under that situation. That’s my question.

Dr. Julz: Thank you very much Tuned, let’s take more calls. Hello!

Onyekachi: (Caller) Hello, good morning. My name is Onyekachi and I have a challenge right now personally. I hear you people talking about IVF so I said let me call in. I have been dating a girl for over 5 years now and I just realize that both of us are AS genotype, so I want to seek advice from the medical doctor about what next to do?

Dr. Julz: Ok, no problem Onyekachi, just stay tuned he’s going to address your question.

Dr. Julz: Hello! May we meet you?

Hilda: (Caller) Hello! Good morning. My name is Hilda and I have a failed IVF treatment and I don’t know although it was really frustrating to me but what I want to ask is; I have fibroid and after the investigation, I was advised to have the IVFs treatment and we went through it and it was not successful, and the payment and all that was not convenient at the time. So now, my fear is if we choose to go through it again we don’t know how successful it will be because it’s really going to be devastating for me. And after the treatment we went for HSG for the tubes and all that. So my question to the doctor is that, I don’t know the advice they will give us; do we have to go for the IVFs again? Since now one of the tubes is opened.

Dr. Julz: Thank you so much Hilda, so sorry for your story. Before we go ahead, I’ll just like to share the IVFs hotlines for George’s Memorial Medical Center so that we just put that out there. It’s 08078191655 for all matters concerning the IVF program that is on this August 2015. So like I said the discussion continues on twitter @Doctorjulz so you can ask all your questions there. I think we should take questions so far. From what Tunde said, Tunde was asking about counseling, we did mention earlier that theirs is a counseling service at the Georges Memorial Center; but in general hospital this is a bit lacking and is something I hear a lot and it’s something we need to address but apart from that. At the Georges Memorial Center and the IVF promotion going on right now, they do consider the emotion of their clients and they have the counselors there. Now Onyekachi said that he has been with been with his partner for 5 years, and they are both AS - AS and he would like to know what kind of advice will you like to give them

Complete the Interview CLICK HERE [url][/url]http://www.nairaroot.com/ivf-hope-for-parenthood/#.VcLj6cj23IU

I don save the page kip for experience and for my future wife..... Nice information

boboLIL:
I don save the page kip for experience and for my future wife..... Nice information

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