By Elizabeth ADENUGA
Prof Oladipo Ladipo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH) says 25 per cent of Nigerian pregnant women are at high risk.
Ladipo, who is also the president of the association, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to him, too many pregnancies, that is, having more than four children is associated with high risk of death.
“Having too many pregnancies too closely spaced is not the best. Pregnancies should be spaced between two and a half years or three.
“Pregnancy before the age of 18 and pregnancies above the age of 35 years is associated with major complications especially hypertension,” he said.
However, Ladipo called for the abolition of child marriage and as well encouraging girls to go to school to guard against starting reproduction before age 18.
The CEO advised women to be contented with having three or maximum four children likewise the men irrespective of gender or sex.
He however, frowned at the discrimination between the female and male children in Nigeria adding that male children were prized than the female describing the culture as wrong.
According to him, every child should be a wanted child, every child is indeed a gift from God and they all have a potential to contribute to overall development of the nation if given the opportunity.
He wondered why a woman would be looking for a male or female child just because she had four children of same sex.
“She should be contented with four daughters or sons because the next pregnancy may be the last she will have, she may die of fifth or sixth pregnancies,” Ladipo warned.
