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| Image: OnlineNigeria |
Surprisingly, a group of parents who have
benefitted from Assisted reproductive technology (ART) at various points in time
have done something very rare. They have chose not to carry on with secrecy any
more, like many have done. Rather, they have collectively agreed to break out
of the cubicle by coming together to boldly talk about it openly without shame,
so as to create awareness in the society, through an established organisation
called, Fertility Awareness Advocate Initiative (FAAI), that IVF babies and
their parents need not be stigmatised. This action, they say will help many out
there who are also in need. Mary Ekah writes
Would you rather remain childless in your
entire life than have a child through a modern technology and be stigmatised by
the society? Well, for many it’s assumed they would rather have children of
theirs through a contemporary means and be stigmatised than not having one at
all. And that is where In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and other options come in
and then the accompanying stigmatisation by the society. Most parents who got
their babies through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), which may be
either through In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) or Intra uterine insemination
(IUI), usually feel very reluctant to talk about it.
Even though IVF, process of fertilisation
by manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish, and then
transferring the embryo to the uterus, is growing fast in Nigeria, a lot of
people who go through it do it with high level of secrecy. In a country like
Nigeria one’s inability to have a child is seen a social failure, especially
for women and more so, it is like a taboo to disclose that your babies are IVF
babies. They fear they would be stigmatised and their babies labeled unforeseen
names. They also feel families and friends will look upon them as lacking in
certain capability. And so they chose to keep mute about it even when they are
aware that their outspokenness will help a lot of couples having fertility
challenges but do not know how and where to get help. Read more here….
News credit : Thisdaylive
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