Dr Rudolph Kantum Adageba, the President of the Fertility Society of Ghana, has revealed that the country is currently drafting strict statutory regulations to impose age limits on fertility treatments.
Working in partnership with the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA), stakeholders are looking at frameworks similar to those used in the United Kingdom to govern the industry.
The specialist noted that while modern technology theoretically makes pregnancy possible at any stage of life, medical ethics and societal well-being demand that clear boundaries be placed on scientific possibilities.
The move towards regulation comes after the headline-making delivery of a miracle baby by a 61-year-old chartered accountant after a 25-year battle with infertility, firmly establishing Ghana as a premier global hub for advanced fertility treatments capable of rivalling medical services offered in Western nations.
Doris Anum-Dorhuso, who had endured 22 years of marriage without a child, successfully gave birth at the Mary-Lucy Hospital in Awoshie, Accra, after undergoing a cutting-edge medical procedure known as Stem Cell-Enhanced In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF).
Speaking exclusively to host Sir Richie, on As it is in Ghana on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM Ghana and Rainbow Radio 92.4FM UK, Dr Adageba noted that Ghana boasts highly dedicated professionals equipped to handle complex reproductive challenges.
He revealed that the country has experienced a major influx of medical tourists, particularly women travelling from abroad, due to the high level of clinical trust and professional competence built within the local sector.
Economic and cultural advantages have driven this boom, with local IVF services being significantly more affordable than in Western countries.
According to Dr Adageba, standard procedures range between GH₵60,000 and GH₵70,000. Furthermore, the local medical environment offers an invaluable cultural comfort zone for Ghanaians in the diaspora, who often report feeling treated with far greater dignity, warmth, and respect by local practitioners than by their foreign counterparts.
Ghana also benefits from a much more accessible and available pool of egg donors, which is crucial for older women who can no longer produce their own eggs.
Reflecting on the history of reproductive science, the obstetrician and gynaecologist recalled that when IVF first launched in the UK in 1978, critics accused doctors of “playing God.” Even today, the science continues to mystify the public.
While a 61-year-old woman would naturally be well into menopause, advanced and innovative technologies can now effectively reactivate or reinvent the ovaries, allowing women in this age bracket to conceive.
Dr Adageba explained that while stem-cell enhancement remains somewhat experimental, ongoing global research aims to make conception safer and more accessible for menopausal women.
However, the medical expert issued a strong note of caution, warning that just because a procedure is scientifically possible does not mean it should always be practised.
He explained that nature designed women to enter menopause for a biological reason, as pregnancy places immense stress on the body, impacting the heart, kidneys, and circulatory system.
While science has successfully bypassed natural age limitations, Dr Adageba stressed that women with severe pre-existing medical conditions should be strongly discouraged from late-stage pregnancies.
He warned that carrying a child at age 60 or 70 while battling a life-threatening illness could ultimately prove fatal.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
