Nancy Umeh and her husband spent eight years trying to have a child, enduring multiple miscarriages and fertility treatments before opting for surrogacy. Umeh revealed that medical evaluations showed her uterus could not sustain a pregnancy, leading them to pursue surrogacy as a viable option. "We had lost all hope; we tried for eight years. We started trying, and we discovered that something was wrong. Miscarriages started happening shortly after. It was the miscarriages that eventually led us into several rounds of IVF and, ultimately, surrogacy when we discovered that it was my uterus that was not allowing the baby to stay," she said.
Surrogacy, in which a woman carries and delivers a baby for intended parents, is becoming more common in Nigeria due to rising infertility challenges and social pressure to have children. The World Health Organisation estimates that one in six people globally experiences infertility. While exact figures for Nigeria are not available, fertility experts note increasing interest in surrogacy among married couples and single individuals.
Medical sonographer Abiola Adewusi, with over 20 years of experience in fertility management, clarified that surrogacy differs from egg donation. She explained that egg donation does not involve harvesting all of a donor's eggs. A surrogate who spoke anonymously said her decision was motivated by empathy for childless couples. "My motivation for being a surrogate was that I feel like helping couples who don't have children because I know what they go through. I just wanted to help them, bring that joy into their home, and let them experience the happiness of having a child," she said.
Adewusi stated that surrogacy in Nigeria costs between ₦18 million and ₦20 million on average, with a significant portion going to the surrogate's compensation. The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Lagos State chapter, commented on the moral dimensions, while views in the Islamic community remain divided. A bill on surrogacy is currently under legislative review in the National Assembly, according to Amos Magaji, Chairman of the House Committee on Health Services. Legal practitioner Lekan Ayinla noted that the lack of clear laws creates uncertainty in surrogacy agreements.
Nancy Umeh pursued every medical and lifestyle fix to carry a child herself, only to be told her body could not sustain a pregnancy despite years of effort. The surrogacy process costs up to ₦20 million, placing it beyond the reach of most Nigerians facing infertility. While lawmakers review a bill on surrogacy, thousands may continue navigating the process without legal clarity or financial access. The gap between medical possibility and legal or economic reality remains wide for intended parents.
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