Socio-Demographic Characteristics Of Patients Seeking In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) at the University Of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria.

Background: In-vitro fertilisation and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) treatment for infertility was only available in a few private hospitals in Nigeria until recently when two government hospitals including University of Benin Teaching Hospital commenced IVF-ET services. The socio-demographic characteristics of patients seeking IVF-ET treatment in Nigeria have not been sufficiently documented. Objective: To describe the socio-demographic characteristics of patients seeking IVF-ET treatment in a public hospital in Nigeria. Methodology: A descriptive study of 187 partners who attended UBTH between April 2007 and October 2008. Outcome measure: Mean age, parity, duration of infertility, social class, indications for infertility. Results: The mean ages of the women and their husbands or male partners were 36.7 and 43.7 years respectively. 82.4% of the women were nullipara while 17.6 were multipara. Twelve point two percent had at least a living child. All the couples were in social class I-III. Tubal blockage was the commonest single indication for IVF-ET while ovulation disorder and male factor as single indications accounted for 12.2 and 8.1% respectively. Almost 17% of the women had multiple female factors while 39.9% had both male and female factors responsible for their infertility. Conclusion: Majority of patients seeking IVF-ET are advanced in age with longstanding infertility and have no children. The poor are not accessing IVF-ET yet. Keywords: Infertility, socio-demograhic characteristics, IVF-ET