Any couple that has ever faced the heartbreak of infertility knows how deeply it can shape their relationship and married life. Maybe you’ve tried IVF more times than you care to count, maybe your doctor has told you that carrying a pregnancy could put your health at risk, and maybe, like many others in Nigeria today, you’ve begun to consider surrogacy, not as a last resort, but as a real chance to become a parent.
Surrogacy is no longer a whispered word. It’s becoming a lifeline for couples like you who are navigating medical challenges that make traditional pregnancy impossible. Whether you’re dealing with uterine damage, heart conditions, or congenital issues, gestational surrogacy, where another woman carries a child conceived through IVF using your genetic material, is offering new hope. Across Nigeria and globally, fertility clinics are seeing more people turn to surrogacy. If you’ve had multiple surgeries or lost your uterus to complications, you’re not alone. For many like you, surrogacy isn’t a luxury; rather, it’s a path forward.
But surrogacy is not just a medical journey; it’s emotional, too. If you’re considering asking a relative or close friend to be your surrogate, you’ll need to navigate delicate boundaries and expectations. You may want to choose an anonymous surrogate through agencies, or you may prefer someone that you know and trust. Whichever way, the entire process demands patience, clarity, and compassion.
Things begin to get complicated at the point of choosing a suitable surrogate. One of the challenges is that Nigeria doesn’t yet have a national law regulating surrogacy. What this means is that if you’re entering into a surrogacy agreement, you’re essentially on your own because you’ll be relying on private contracts and informal arrangements; all of these can be risky. Without legal protections, you and your surrogate could face disputes over custody, compensation, or parental rights. Several incidents of such occurrences abound.
It is good news that Lagos State is working on a bill to formalise surrogacy practices and protect everyone involved. Such a law provides the legal clarity you need to move forward with assurance and confidence. All through the surrogacy experience, you’ll need to work closely with legal experts and trusted clinics to ensure your journey is safe and ethical.
If you’re wondering whether surrogacy is worth it, consider that families across Nigeria are already welcoming children born through surrogacy. Such families are redefining what it means to be a parent; they’re proving that love, not just biology, builds a family.
Surrogacy can be a deeply meaningful and life-changing option if you’re facing fertility challenges. While it’s not without its complexities, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
One of the most compelling advantages is that surrogacy offers a real chance to have a biological child even when natural conception or pregnancy isn’t possible due to medical conditions, genetic disorders, or past trauma. It can also be more reliable and effective than repeated fertility treatments, especially when those have failed due to faults in the uterus and it’s lining.
If you have experienced miscarriages or failed IVF cycles due to uterine factors, surrogacy provides a renewed sense of hope and a way to move forward emotionally. It allows you as intended parents to be actively involved in the pregnancy journey, fostering a strong emotional connection with the child even before birth.
In gestational surrogacy, the child can be genetically related to one or both intended parents, which is often a key emotional and cultural factor. This type of surrogacy gives you the chance to have a biological child even if you can’t carry the pregnancy yourself. You’ll work with the surrogate who carries the baby for you and can be involved throughout the pregnancy, and the child can be genetically yours. You may consider it as being expensive, but in Nigeria it’s quite affordable.
IVF is a fertility treatment where eggs are fertilised outside the body and then implanted in the uterus. It is ideal if a woman can carry a pregnancy but needs help conceiving. If having a biological child is important to you, surrogacy with IVF should appeal to you.
Surrogacy is legal and increasingly popular in Nigeria, especially in cities like Lagos. You can pursue it through IVF clinics or surrogacy agencies. There’s no federal law regulating surrogacy, so it’s crucial to work with a reproductive lawyer to protect your parental rights. You can find a surrogate through an agency or even ask a trusted friend or relative. The process involves IVF, where your fertilised embryo is implanted into the surrogate. A legal agreement should outline responsibilities, financial arrangements, and what happens in special cases like twins.
As a woman or couple with fertility challenges, surrogacy might be worth considering if you’ve tried other fertility treatments without success, have a medical condition that makes pregnancy risky or impossible, want a biological child but cannot carry the pregnancy yourself, or feel emotionally ready to embrace a non-traditional path to parenthood. It’s also important to be prepared for the financial and legal aspects involved.
Surrogacy isn’t just a medical solution, it’s a journey of trust, collaboration, and hope. If you’re open to exploring it, the rewards can be profound: a child of your own, a fulfilled dream, and a new chapter of life.
Remember that to get the best out of the surrogacy option, it is necessary to consult qualified fertility clinics and surrogacy agencies for expert guidance, legal frameworks, and emotional support to navigate the process safely and ethically.
Surrogacy allows you as a couple to plan the timing of conception and birth more precisely, which can be crucial for career, health, or personal reasons. If you’re standing at the crossroads, unsure, hopeful, maybe even afraid, know that you’re not alone.
Surrogacy may not be the path you imagined, but it could be the one that leads you to the child you’ve dreamed of, and in that journey, you’re carrying hope—in a new way, but with the same unwavering love.
