Read The Touching Story Of How Mrs. Obioma Ede Was Left To Bear The Scars Of Infertility After A Botched Caesarean Section
The pregnancy story of a Nigerian housewife, residing in Jakande Estate, Lagos, is that of pain, disappointment and regret of what could have been.
40-year-old Mrs. Obioma Ede says her inability to get pregnant was caused by a negligent doctor who attended to her during her first pregnancy.
Speaking with Punch HealthWise, Mrs Ede disclosed that before her wedding in January 2012, she had envisioned a life of bliss with her husband and three children, which was her benchmark in terms of childbearing.
With glee, she looked forward to becoming a mother and was focused on ensuring she was in a good shape to achieve her goal. She, however, did not get pregnant until after a year.
Three months into her pregnancy, she registered for antenatal at a healthcare centre in her neighbourhood of Jakande Estate in Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Lagos. The health centre, she recalled, came highly recommended by friends and neighbours.
Ede further revealed that she had a hitch-free pregnancy but trouble started when she went into labour at exactly nine months and was taken to the hospital by her husband. She recalled in an emotion-laden voice:
“I was in labour for over 24 hours and it was not progressing. At a point, my husband couldn’t stand the pain anymore and told the doctor to carry out a Caesarean Section to save my life and that of the baby.
“But the doctor refused, insisting that I must have a vaginal birth. The baby’s head became stuck in my pelvic and getting him out became a tug of war.
“Several times, the doctor hooked my baby’s head with forceps and pulled. My husband wept and pleaded for my life.”
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Ede said with the baby stuck in her pelvic, the doctor decided to operate, and by then, her baby was distressed.
Distraught, she claimed the doctor inflicted a cut on her baby’s head while operating on her, killing him in the process. Ede has a huge scar running from under her breast down to her navel to show for the ugly experience. She narrated further:
“I am yet to recover and have been having complications. At the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where I went for treatment, I was diagnosed with adhesion, collapsed fallopian tubes and shrunken womb.
“I later travelled to the United Kingdom for two surgeries and ended up undergoing five. I have been placed on hormonal drugs ever since.”
Ede said all she does now is put up a bold face even when it is glaring that her chances of getting pregnant are slim.
“I no longer cry, as tears have dried from my eyes. I will forever bear the scars of infertility inflicted by a negligent doctor. I still believe God will shine his light on me. I have not lost hope completely,” she said with optimism.
Speaking on what could cause adhesion, collapsed fallopian tubes and shrunken womb, a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Dr. Joy Agbara, said they are conditions that could interfere with a woman’s ability to get pregnant.
The medical personnel said adhesions can occur when the body’s natural healing process goes a little wrong, noting that they are abnormal bands of scar tissue that join together organs or parts of organs and can be caused by infection or previous surgery.
She said it can happen in the fallopian tubes or inner surface of the womb due to inflammations. She further explained:
“Depending on the degree of adhesions, it might be so bad that the woman might not be able to even menstruate. Depending on the location of the adhesion, it will be difficult for pregnancy to occur, especially implantation.”
The consultant explained that the womb needs oestrogen, a hormone that helps to maintain the womb. She said the size of the womb varies in the different stages of a woman’s life. She said:
“The size of a baby’s womb is different at puberty or menopause and after. Once the oestrogen level reduces, the functional cells of the womb or muscles shrink and can’t multiply or enlarge as it is meant to normally under the influence of oestrogen.
“Adhesions, depending on how thick it is formed, can distort the shape of the womb, especially if it affects the surrounding area of the womb. And that might give the impression of a shrunken womb.
“Excessive bleeding after childbirth could affect the pituitary gland in the brain, responsible for regulating hormones. This can also cause a lack of menstruation and having a child is out of the way.
“If it is adhesion, depending on where it is, it can be released. But it is not 100 per cent that the person will get pregnant. If it is a tubal problem, then IVF becomes an option.”