LEADERSHIP
Surrogacy took a new shift when Nancy Umeh, a renowned Nigerian chef and public health scientist , welcomed a third child through surrogacy. “Too stunned to speak right now. I can’t believe we are parents again. Our last son is eight years old and we have tried for seven whole years. An angel carried our child for us. An angel sent from God through Meet Surrogate Mothers. I can’t believe we are holding our child” on her instagram handle. In the United States, surrogacy can cost upwards of $100,000. It has become a silent banter among ladies trying to decipher surrogacy as a new business venture. Surrogacy is a reproductive practice where a woman carries and gives birth to a child for another person or couple.
Surrogacy is not explicitly prohibited in Nigeria, but it is not legally recognized and regulated. This leaves the intended parents and surrogate mother in legal limbo and can lead to disputes, exploitation and emotional chaos. The term real mother, surrogate mother has taken on a deep meaning recently. Surrogacy is frequently attempted by individuals or couples who are unable to conceive or carry a child due to infertility, pregnancy-related health problems, and other causes which can result from same-sex marriages. It is a practice involving sophisticated medical procedures, emotional difficulties, and legal consequences that necessitates a thorough understanding and adherence to applicable laws and rules.
In Nigeria presently, where there is no stipulated law, it can become a chaotic mess. Couples who have difficulty conceiving find themselves opting for surrogacy as a form of creating a family. “Many individuals and families around the world use surrogacy to start a family. From 1999 to 2013, only 31,000 Americans had a baby through surrogacy” Nafeesah Allen.
Surrogacy is of two types: Traditional and Gestational. A gestational carrier has no biological relation to the child; they carry the fetus through pregnancy and give birth to the baby for the intended parent(s). The gestational carrier is compensated by the intended parent(s) and does not have any parental rights to the child. A traditional surrogate contributes to their egg and, therefore, is considered one of the child’s biological parents. Hence the dilemma of surrogate mother versus real mother, where is the lie?
“The average cost of surrogacy in the U.S. is about $100,000…
Connect with us on our socials: