UCH delivers first IVF triplets

University College Hospital, Ibadan on Wednesday took delivery of triplets in the first In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) carried out in the hospital.

The mother and the babies – all females – are in good condition after the 45-minute delivery procedure that began around 1pm.

The babies weighed 1.4kg, 2.5kg and 2.4kg.

The father, Dr Kehinde Osiki of the Department of History and Strategic Studies, University of Lagos, was said to have witnessed the delivery of the babies.

He said technology had brought relief to the problems often attributed to spirituality, adding that instead of people carrying the burden of superstition, they should seek scientific solution to their problems.

Osiki urged couples who could not fertilise not to lose hope, asking them to go for the IVF solution.

The triplets’ mother is an employee of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Ibadan.

UCH Chief Medical Director, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, described the delivery as another success story for the hospital.

He said the commitment to take the UCH to an enviable level led to the beginning of the IVF last year and delivery of the first set of babies through the process and commended the delivery team.

The IVF project was said to have been initiated about 13 years ago.