Aisha Saidu’s Infertility Struggle: From Fibroids to Finding Happiness
Aisha Saidu has been on a challenging journey to conceive for the past two years.
Along the way, she experienced the heartbreak of a miscarriage caused by fibroids, leading her to undergo a Myectomy procedure to remove them.
She says the toll of fertility struggles weighed heavily on me, affecting both my work and personal life.
However, three months ago, I had an epiphany. Determined to find happiness and trust that things would happen in their own time, I embarked on a mission she said.
Creating a Digital Safe Haven for Northern Women
Aisha realized the lack of a digital safe space for Northern Nigerian women seeking emotional support during their fertility journeys.
After an exhaustive search for such a platform, she decided to take matters into her own hands.
She says I launched “Arewa Women Trying to Conceive,” a platform designed to provide solace, foster shared experiences, and offer expert guidance throughout their fertility journey.
Aisha recognized that while medical treatment is crucial, the emotional aspect is often overlooked.
Infertility: The Statistics and Urgent Need for Care
According to a recent report by the World Health Organization, approximately 17.5% of adults worldwide, roughly one in six people, experience infertility.
This staggering statistic highlights the pressing need to enhance access to affordable, high-quality fertility care.
Surrogacy as an Option: Fulfilling Dreams of Parenthood
Olaronke Thaddeaus, founder of “Meet Surrogate Mothers,” is helping women fulfil their dreams of having children.
What initially began as an egg donor agency has expanded to include surrogacy, as the demand for younger women to conceive has grown she says.
Olaronke explains that while surrogacy is practised globally and recognized by most IVF hospitals, Nigeria lacks specific legislation on the matter.
She says efforts are underway in Lagos State to develop a surrogacy bill and pave the way for its legalization.
Understanding Surrogacy: A Path to Parenthood
Surrogacy involves another woman carrying a pregnancy on behalf of the intended parents.
This typically occurs through in vitro fertilization (IVF), where the intending mother’s egg or a donor’s egg is fertilized with the intending father’s sperm or donor sperm.
The surrogate mother is not genetically related to the baby, making it a gestational surrogacy arrangement.
Navigating the emotional journey: the role of self-compassion and support
Ismaila Yakubu, a doctoral researcher at the University of Sheffield, emphasises the uniqueness of each infertile person’s experience.
He says Those who blame themselves require protective mechanisms of self-compassion, while others facing societal blame seek reassurance and hope from loved ones.
These forms of support fall under cognitive-behavioural approaches, providing invaluable guidance on the emotional path towards conception and parenthood.
