Services
Specialist care across six areas
Every service we provide is listed below with what it involves, the steps you can expect, and the questions patients most often ask. If you are not sure which applies to you, call us and we will point you to the right consultation.
Fertility & IVF
Fertility investigation, IVF and assisted reproduction support, delivered by one specialist team in Nnewi.
Fertility care asks a great deal of the people who need it. We aim to make the medicine clear, the timeline honest and the team reachable - so that whatever the outcome, you always know where you stand.
Eggs are retrieved, fertilised with sperm in the laboratory, and the resulting embryo is transferred to the womb. IVF is offered at Mother and Child Fountain of Life Specialist Hospital in Nnewi, Anambra State, for couples facing tubal factor, male factor, ovulation disorders or unexplained infertility.
IVF is the most established form of assisted reproductive technology. It is generally considered when less invasive treatments have not succeeded, or where the clinical picture - blocked fallopian tubes, significant male factor infertility, diminished ovarian reserve - means simpler approaches are unlikely to work.
A cycle runs over roughly two to three weeks. Ovarian stimulation encourages the ovaries to mature several eggs rather than the single egg of a natural cycle. Growth is tracked with ultrasound and hormone measurements. When the follicles reach the right size, eggs are collected under sedation in a short day procedure. Fertilisation happens in the laboratory, embryos are cultured for several days, and one is transferred to the uterus. A pregnancy test follows about two weeks later.
Success depends heavily on age, ovarian reserve, sperm quality and the underlying cause of infertility. We discuss your individual prospects honestly at consultation rather than quoting headline figures, because an average tells you very little about your own chances.
What the process involves
- Consultation and workup - Full history, examination and baseline investigations for both partners.
- Ovarian stimulation - Daily injections over roughly 10–12 days, monitored by ultrasound.
- Egg retrieval - A short day procedure under sedation.
- Fertilisation and culture - Eggs and sperm are combined; embryos are cultured and assessed.
- Embryo transfer - A brief, usually painless procedure requiring no anaesthetic.
- Pregnancy test - Blood test around 12–14 days after transfer.
Common questions
How long does one IVF cycle take?
From the start of stimulation to the pregnancy test is usually about four to six weeks, including preparation. The intensive part - stimulation through transfer - is around two to three weeks.
Is egg retrieval painful?
It is performed under sedation, so you should not feel the procedure. Cramping and bloating for a day or two afterwards are common and settle with simple pain relief.
How many embryos will be transferred?
This is decided with you, weighing the chance of pregnancy against the real risks of a multiple pregnancy to both mother and babies. We explain the trade-off clearly before transfer.
What affects our chance of success?
Age is the single strongest factor, followed by ovarian reserve, sperm quality and the cause of infertility. We give you a realistic individual assessment at consultation.
Gestational surrogacy, in which an embryo created through IVF is carried by a surrogate. Offered at Mother and Child Fountain of Life Specialist Hospital, Nnewi, following full clinical assessment and independent legal counsel for all parties.
Surrogacy may be considered where pregnancy is not possible or would carry serious risk - absence of the uterus, certain uterine abnormalities, repeated implantation failure, or a medical condition that makes carrying a pregnancy dangerous.
In gestational surrogacy the embryo is created through IVF using the intended parents’ eggs and sperm, or donor gametes where clinically indicated, and transferred to a surrogate who carries the pregnancy. The surrogate has no genetic relationship to the child.
Surrogacy arrangements carry legal and ethical dimensions well beyond the clinical procedure. Nigeria has no single comprehensive statute governing assisted reproduction, and arrangements are shaped by professional guidance and contract. We require that intended parents and surrogates each take independent legal advice before any treatment begins, and we will not proceed without evidence that this has happened.
This treatment requires consultation and counselling. Legal and ethical frameworks in this area differ between countries and continue to develop in Nigeria. We provide it only after full assessment and discussion, and we require independent legal advice where an arrangement involves a third party.
What the process involves
- Initial consultation - Clinical assessment of the intended parents and review of whether surrogacy is appropriate.
- Independent legal advice - Intended parents and surrogate each instruct their own lawyer. Required before treatment.
- Surrogate screening - Medical, obstetric and psychological assessment.
- IVF cycle - Embryo created using intended parents’ or donor gametes.
- Embryo transfer - Transfer to the surrogate once her cycle is prepared.
- Antenatal care - The pregnancy is followed through our maternity service.
Common questions
Is the surrogate genetically related to the child?
In gestational surrogacy, which is what we offer, no. The embryo is created from the intended parents’ gametes or donor gametes, and the surrogate carries the pregnancy without a genetic link.
Do we need a lawyer?
Yes. We require intended parents and the surrogate to take separate, independent legal advice before treatment starts. This protects everyone involved, including the child.
How are surrogates assessed?
Screening covers medical and obstetric history, infection screening, and psychological assessment. Suitability is a clinical judgement made case by case.
Preimplantation genetic testing used to determine embryo sex before transfer, offered at Mother and Child Fountain of Life Specialist Hospital, Nnewi, as part of an IVF cycle and following detailed counselling.
Sex selection is carried out through preimplantation genetic testing during an IVF cycle. A small number of cells are taken from each embryo and analysed before transfer, allowing embryo sex to be identified.
The technique has an established clinical application in avoiding sex-linked genetic conditions - disorders such as haemophilia or Duchenne muscular dystrophy that affect one sex. It is also requested by some families for reasons of family balancing.
This is an area where law, professional guidance and personal ethics differ considerably between countries, and views within Nigeria are not uniform. We ask every couple considering it to attend detailed counselling covering the clinical process, its limits, and the wider implications. Testing is performed as part of a full IVF cycle; it cannot be offered on its own, and it does not guarantee a pregnancy.
This treatment requires consultation and counselling. Legal and ethical frameworks in this area differ between countries and continue to develop in Nigeria. We provide it only after full assessment and discussion, and we require independent legal advice where an arrangement involves a third party.
What the process involves
- Consultation and counselling - Detailed discussion of indications, process, limitations and implications.
- IVF cycle - Stimulation, egg retrieval and fertilisation as in a standard cycle.
- Embryo biopsy - A few cells are removed from each embryo at the blastocyst stage.
- Genetic analysis - Samples are analysed to determine embryo sex and, where indicated, screen for specific conditions.
- Embryo transfer - A suitable embryo is transferred.
Common questions
Can sex selection be done without IVF?
No. The embryo must be created and biopsied in the laboratory before transfer, so a full IVF cycle is required.
Is it completely accurate?
Preimplantation genetic testing is highly accurate for determining embryo sex, but no laboratory test is infallible, and a cycle may not produce a suitable embryo of either sex.
Does it improve our chance of pregnancy?
No. Sex selection does not increase the likelihood of pregnancy, and testing reduces the number of embryos available for transfer.
Prepared sperm is placed directly into the uterus around ovulation. A less invasive fertility treatment offered at our Nnewi hospital, often considered before moving to IVF.
IUI places washed, concentrated sperm directly into the uterine cavity at the time of ovulation, shortening the journey sperm must make and increasing the number reaching the fallopian tubes.
It is typically considered for mild male factor infertility, unexplained infertility, or difficulties with intercourse, and requires at least one open fallopian tube. It may be combined with ovulation induction.
IUI is considerably less invasive and less costly than IVF, though success rates per cycle are lower. Where IUI is unlikely to succeed on clinical grounds, we will say so rather than have you spend months on treatment with poor prospects.
What the process involves
- Assessment - Confirming tubal patency and assessing sperm quality.
- Cycle monitoring - Tracking ovulation, sometimes with medication to induce it.
- Sperm preparation - The sample is washed and concentrated in the laboratory.
- Insemination - A brief outpatient procedure using a fine catheter.
- Pregnancy test - About two weeks later.
Common questions
Is IUI painful?
Most women describe mild cramping similar to a smear test. No anaesthetic is needed and you can usually resume normal activity the same day.
How many cycles should we try?
If IUI has not succeeded after three to six cycles, moving to IVF is usually the right conversation to have.
Medication used to stimulate ovulation in women who ovulate irregularly or not at all, including those with polycystic ovary syndrome. Available at our Nnewi fertility service.
Ovulation induction uses medication to encourage the ovaries to release an egg. It is the first-line treatment where the difficulty conceiving is caused by irregular or absent ovulation, most commonly in polycystic ovary syndrome.
Treatment is monitored with ultrasound to confirm response and to reduce the risk of multiple pregnancy or ovarian hyperstimulation. Monitoring is not optional - it is what makes the treatment safe.
What the process involves
- Assessment - Confirming that ovulation is the problem and excluding other factors.
- Medication - Oral or injectable treatment started early in the cycle.
- Ultrasound monitoring - Tracking follicle development and timing.
- Timed conception or IUI - Guidance on timing, or progression to insemination.
Common questions
Does it cause twins?
It raises the chance of a multiple pregnancy, which is why we monitor carefully and adjust dosing to reduce that risk.
Structured assessment of both partners to identify why conception has not happened. The starting point for fertility care at Mother and Child Fountain of Life Specialist Hospital, Nnewi.
A fertility workup establishes the cause before treatment is chosen. Investigating only one partner is a common and costly mistake - male factors contribute to roughly half of all cases.
Assessment covers ovulation, tubal patency, uterine anatomy and semen quality, alongside a full history from both partners. Where imaging is required we use ultrasound in-house; laboratory analyses are processed through our partner laboratory.
The purpose is a clear answer and a plan you understand - not an open-ended series of tests.
What the process involves
- Joint consultation - Full history from both partners.
- Female assessment - Ovulation tracking, hormone profile, pelvic ultrasound, tubal assessment.
- Male assessment - Semen analysis and, where indicated, further tests.
- Review and plan - Findings explained together, with treatment options set out.
Common questions
How long before we should seek help?
After twelve months of regular unprotected intercourse, or after six months if the female partner is over 35 or there is a known risk factor.
Does my partner need to be tested too?
Yes. Male factors account for around half of infertility. Assessing only one partner wastes time.
Surgery & Minimal Access
Diagnostic and operative laparoscopy and hysteroscopy, fibroid surgery and open gynaecological procedures.
Where a condition can be treated through small incisions rather than open surgery, recovery is usually faster and less painful. We assess each case on its merits and tell you plainly which approach suits your situation.
Keyhole surgery using a camera passed through a small incision to diagnose and treat conditions inside the abdomen and pelvis. Performed at Mother and Child Fountain of Life Specialist Hospital in Nnewi, Anambra State.
Laparoscopy allows the pelvic organs to be examined directly through incisions usually under a centimetre long. A camera is passed into the abdomen, which is gently inflated with gas to create working space.
Diagnostic laparoscopy investigates pelvic pain, suspected endometriosis, adhesions and tubal disease - often when scans have not given a clear answer. Operative laparoscopy treats what is found in the same sitting: removing endometriotic deposits, dividing adhesions, removing ovarian cysts or treating ectopic pregnancy.
Compared with open surgery, laparoscopy generally means less pain, a shorter hospital stay, smaller scars and a faster return to normal activity.
What the process involves
- Assessment - History, examination and imaging to decide whether laparoscopy is indicated.
- Anaesthesia - The procedure is performed under general anaesthetic.
- Laparoscopy - Camera and fine instruments are introduced through small incisions.
- Treatment - Where possible, the problem is treated during the same procedure.
- Recovery - Most patients go home the same day or the following day.
Common questions
How long is recovery?
Most people return to light activity within a week and to full activity in two to three weeks, depending on what was done.
Will I have a scar?
Incisions are typically 5–10mm and usually fade to barely visible marks.
Can the problem be treated at the same time?
Very often yes. We discuss beforehand what we may treat during the procedure so that consent covers it.
Examination and treatment of the inside of the womb using a fine telescope passed through the cervix, requiring no abdominal incision. Available at our Nnewi hospital.
Hysteroscopy inspects the uterine cavity directly using a narrow telescope passed through the cervix. No cut is made in the abdomen.
It is used to investigate heavy or irregular bleeding, recurrent miscarriage, difficulty conceiving and suspected abnormalities within the cavity. Operative hysteroscopy treats findings in the same procedure - removing polyps or submucous fibroids, dividing adhesions or correcting a uterine septum.
In fertility care hysteroscopy has a particular role, since abnormalities within the cavity can prevent implantation and are readily missed on scans alone.
What the process involves
- Assessment - Review of symptoms and prior imaging.
- Hysteroscopy - The telescope is passed through the cervix; no incision is required.
- Treatment - Polyps, fibroids, adhesions or a septum can be treated during the same procedure.
- Recovery - Usually a day case, with most patients home within hours.
Common questions
Is hysteroscopy painful?
Diagnostic hysteroscopy is often done with local anaesthetic or light sedation and feels like period cramping. Operative hysteroscopy is usually done under general anaesthetic.
Why is it recommended before IVF?
Abnormalities inside the cavity can prevent an embryo implanting. Identifying and correcting them first improves the odds of a transfer succeeding.
Surgical removal of uterine fibroids while preserving the womb, by open, laparoscopic or hysteroscopic approach. Performed at Mother and Child Fountain of Life Specialist Hospital, Nnewi.
Fibroids are common, and many need no treatment. Surgery is considered where they cause heavy bleeding, pain, pressure symptoms, or where they are interfering with fertility or pregnancy.
Myomectomy removes fibroids while preserving the uterus, which matters where future pregnancy is intended. The approach depends on the size, number and position of the fibroids: hysteroscopic for those inside the cavity, laparoscopic for suitable cases, open surgery where fibroids are large or numerous.
We will tell you which approach is appropriate for your fibroids and why, including where keyhole surgery would not be the safer choice.
What the process involves
- Assessment - Examination and ultrasound to map size, number and position.
- Planning - Choosing the approach and discussing implications for future pregnancy.
- Surgery - Removal of fibroids with repair of the uterine wall.
- Recovery - Varies by approach - from a day case to several days for open surgery.
Common questions
Will I still be able to get pregnant?
Myomectomy is specifically intended to preserve the uterus. We will discuss any implications for future delivery, including whether caesarean section would be advised.
Can fibroids come back?
New fibroids can develop over time. Recurrence depends on age, number removed and other factors, and we will give you a realistic picture.
Is keyhole surgery always possible?
No. Very large or numerous fibroids may be safer removed by open surgery. We recommend the approach that is right for your case, not the one that sounds most modern.
Major and minor gynaecological procedures including hysterectomy, ovarian cystectomy and management of ectopic pregnancy, at our Nnewi hospital.
We provide a range of gynaecological surgery beyond fibroid and minimal access work, including hysterectomy where indicated, removal of ovarian cysts, treatment of ectopic pregnancy and management of pelvic adhesions.
Every operation is preceded by a full discussion of why it is being recommended, what alternatives exist, and what recovery will involve.
What the process involves
- Consultation - Assessment and discussion of surgical and non-surgical options.
- Pre-operative preparation - Investigations and anaesthetic assessment.
- Surgery - Performed in our theatre.
- Follow-up - Post-operative review and recovery guidance.
Common questions
Are non-surgical options considered first?
Wherever they are clinically reasonable, yes. Surgery is recommended when it is genuinely the best option, not as a default.
Maternity Care
Antenatal care, delivery, caesarean section and postnatal support, with newborn care in the same building.
Pregnancy care should feel steady and unhurried. Our antenatal service runs alongside our theatre and newborn unit, so that if plans change during labour, the team you need is already here.
Structured pregnancy care from booking to delivery, including scans, screening and birth planning, at Mother and Child Fountain of Life Specialist Hospital in Nnewi, Anambra State.
Antenatal care follows the health of mother and baby through pregnancy, identifies problems early, and prepares for birth. Regular contact is what makes conditions such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and restricted fetal growth detectable while they can still be managed well.
Care includes booking assessment and history, routine screening, ultrasound at appropriate intervals, monitoring of blood pressure and fetal growth, and discussion of your birth plan.
Because our theatre and newborn unit are on the same site, an unplanned caesarean or a baby needing immediate support does not mean a transfer elsewhere.
What the process involves
- Booking visit - Full history, examination, baseline investigations and dating scan.
- Routine visits - Blood pressure, growth monitoring and screening at set intervals.
- Ultrasound - Scans at appropriate stages to assess growth and wellbeing.
- Birth planning - Discussion of delivery, pain relief and preferences.
- Delivery - On site, with theatre and newborn care immediately available.
Common questions
When should I book?
As early as possible - ideally in the first trimester, so that dating is accurate and early screening is not missed.
How often are appointments?
Typically monthly in early pregnancy, becoming more frequent through the third trimester. A higher-risk pregnancy is seen more often.
Do you offer ultrasound on site?
Yes. Ultrasound is available at the hospital.
Planned and emergency caesarean delivery with newborn care available on site at our Nnewi hospital.
A caesarean delivers the baby through an incision in the abdomen and uterus. It may be planned in advance for clinical reasons, or become necessary during labour.
Planned caesareans are discussed during antenatal care, so you know what to expect and why it is being recommended. Where a caesarean becomes necessary during labour, our theatre is on site and our newborn team is immediately available.
What the process involves
- Discussion and consent - Reasons, risks and alternatives explained.
- Anaesthesia - Usually spinal, so you can be awake for the birth.
- Delivery - The baby is delivered and, where all is well, brought to you promptly.
- Recovery - Inpatient recovery with pain relief and feeding support.
Common questions
Will I be awake?
Most caesareans are done under spinal anaesthetic, so you are awake and your partner can usually be present.
How long is the hospital stay?
Typically three to four days, depending on recovery.
Supervised vaginal delivery and postnatal care for mother and baby, including feeding support, at Mother and Child Fountain of Life Specialist Hospital, Nnewi.
Labour is supervised by our midwifery and medical team, with continuous assessment of mother and baby and access to theatre if the situation changes.
Postnatal care covers recovery after birth, feeding support, newborn checks and contraception advice before discharge. Where a baby needs additional support, our newborn unit is in the same building.
What the process involves
- Labour and delivery - Supervised throughout, with theatre available if needed.
- Immediate newborn care - Assessment of the baby and early skin-to-skin where possible.
- Postnatal recovery - Inpatient care, feeding support and newborn checks.
- Discharge and follow-up - Guidance on recovery, feeding, immunisation and contraception.
Common questions
Can my partner be present?
Yes. We will discuss birth partner arrangements during antenatal care.
Do you help with breastfeeding?
Yes. Feeding support is part of postnatal care before discharge.
Contraception, cervical screening and routine gynaecological review for women at every stage of life, at our Nnewi hospital.
Family planning covers the full range of contraceptive options, with counselling to help you choose what fits your circumstances, health and plans - including reversible long-acting methods.
Well-woman care covers routine gynaecological review, screening, menstrual problems, menopause symptoms and general reproductive health.
What the process involves
- Consultation - Discussion of needs, health history and preferences.
- Assessment - Examination and any relevant screening.
- Method or treatment - Provision of the chosen contraceptive or treatment.
- Review - Follow-up to check suitability and manage side effects.
Common questions
Are long-acting methods available?
Yes. We provide and counsel on long-acting reversible contraception alongside other methods.
Paediatrics & Newborn Care
Newborn intensive care, paediatric consultation and childhood immunisation, led by a specialist paediatrician.
Newborn care sits deliberately alongside our maternity service. A baby who needs support after birth is cared for in the same building as their mother.
Specialist care for premature and unwell newborns, on the same site as our maternity service, at Mother and Child Fountain of Life Specialist Hospital in Nnewi.
Our newborn unit cares for babies who need closer support than a postnatal ward provides - those born preterm, of low birth weight, with jaundice requiring treatment, breathing difficulty, infection or feeding problems.
Care is led by our paediatrician with nursing staff experienced in newborn care, and includes monitoring, thermal support, assisted feeding, phototherapy and treatment of infection.
Being in the same building as the maternity service matters: a baby needing support at birth is cared for without transfer, and parents stay close.
What the process involves
- Assessment at birth - Every baby is assessed immediately after delivery.
- Admission if needed - Babies requiring support are admitted to the newborn unit.
- Specialist care - Monitoring, thermal support, feeding support, phototherapy and treatment as required.
- Parental involvement - Parents are kept close and involved in care.
- Discharge planning - Feeding, growth and follow-up arranged before discharge.
Common questions
Can I stay with my baby?
We keep parents as close as clinical circumstances allow and involve you in your baby’s care.
What conditions do you care for?
Prematurity, low birth weight, jaundice, breathing difficulty, infection and feeding problems, among others. Babies needing care beyond our unit are referred appropriately.
Consultation and treatment for infants, children and adolescents, led by a specialist paediatrician at our Nnewi hospital.
Our paediatric service cares for children from birth through adolescence, covering acute illness, growth and development concerns, and ongoing childhood conditions.
Care is led by Dr. Chioma Okam, a specialist paediatrician.
What the process involves
- Consultation - History, examination and assessment.
- Investigation - Where needed, ultrasound on site and laboratory tests through our partner laboratory.
- Treatment - Outpatient treatment or admission as required.
- Follow-up - Review and ongoing management.
Common questions
Up to what age do you see children?
From birth through adolescence.
Routine childhood vaccination following the national immunisation schedule, at Mother and Child Fountain of Life Specialist Hospital, Nnewi.
We provide routine childhood immunisation in line with the national schedule, with records kept so that your child’s vaccination history is clear and complete.
Immunisation visits are also a useful point of contact for checking growth and development.
What the process involves
- Schedule review - Checking which vaccinations are due.
- Health check - Brief assessment before vaccination.
- Vaccination - Given by trained staff.
- Record and next appointment - Updated record and the next visit scheduled.
Common questions
Do you follow the national schedule?
Yes. We follow the national childhood immunisation schedule and keep a record for each child.
Diagnostics
Ultrasound imaging on site, with laboratory analysis through our partner laboratory.
Diagnosis should be quick and clearly explained. Ultrasound is performed here; laboratory work is processed through our partner laboratory and reviewed by your clinician.
Obstetric, gynaecological and general ultrasound performed on site at Mother and Child Fountain of Life Specialist Hospital in Nnewi, Anambra State.
Ultrasound uses sound waves to produce images in real time, without radiation. It is central to both pregnancy care and gynaecological assessment.
We provide obstetric ultrasound for dating, growth and wellbeing; gynaecological ultrasound for assessing the uterus and ovaries, including fibroid mapping and follicle tracking during fertility treatment; and general ultrasound where clinically indicated.
What the process involves
- Referral or booking - Arranged through your clinician or directly.
- Scan - Performed on site, usually taking 15–30 minutes.
- Report - Findings explained and reported to your clinician.
Common questions
Is ultrasound safe in pregnancy?
Yes. Ultrasound uses sound waves rather than radiation and is the standard imaging method in pregnancy.
Do I need to prepare?
Some scans require a full bladder. We will tell you what is needed when you book.
Laboratory investigations arranged through our partner laboratory, with results reviewed by your clinician at our Nnewi hospital.
Laboratory tests supporting fertility, pregnancy, surgical and general care are arranged through our partner laboratory. Samples are collected here and processed externally.
Results are reviewed by your clinician and explained to you in the context of your care.
What the process involves
- Request - Your clinician determines which investigations are needed.
- Sample collection - Taken at the hospital.
- Processing - Analysis by our partner laboratory.
- Review - Results interpreted and explained by your clinician.
Common questions
Is the laboratory on site?
Samples are collected at the hospital and processed by our partner laboratory. Results are reviewed here by your clinician.