Gynaecologist advocates early ultrasound for management of hereditary abnormalities
Dr Prosper Igboeli, a gynaecologist, has recommended early ultrasound for pregnant women for proper management of hereditary abnormalities. Igboeli, the Managing Director of M and M Hospital, Fertility and In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) Centre, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to him, early pregnancy scan is one of the most important ultrasound scans in pregnancy. Early ultrasound confirms the pregnancy and verifies if the foetus is developing as expected. He said that early ultrasound scan examination in first trimester would help detect any congenital abnormalities.
The doctor called on healthcare stakeholders to properly equip centres where pregnant women attend with a good ultrasound scan facility. According to him, Nigerians are increasingly becoming aware that congenital anomalies are part and parcel of an environment.
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He advised that the woman should be referred to a medical facility with the capacity, capability and infrastructure to handle such things when any abnormality was discovered.
“So, women who are pregnant should get at least one ultrasound in a good ultrasound centre that can quickly pick up abnormalities then transfer the care of the woman to a medical facility that has capacity, capability and infrastructure to handle these things,’’ he said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) advocates that detection and treatment of congenital disorders can be promoted through the implementation of pre-natal screening for congenital disorders, particularly through ultrasonographical examination and neonatal screening programmes.
It also called for the training of primary care providers in the diagnosis of congenital abnormalities and appropriate referral for treatment of infants with congenital disorders.
The WHO said that treatment options include in utero therapy and postnatal surgical corrections.
Source: NAN
