Catholic Chapel Raises Alarm Over Surrogacy Practices, Cites Exploitation of Vulnerable Women
The Lux Terra Chapel of the Catholic Church in Apo has raised concerns over alleged exploitation associated with surrogacy practices in Nigeria.
This was contained in a communiqué issued by the Chaplain, Rev. Fr. George Ehusani, at the end of a Mother’s Day event held at the chapel on April 19. The communiqué was made available to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.
Ehusani noted that the chapel joined Catholic communities nationwide in celebrating motherhood, with emphasis on its dignity, sanctity, and beauty within the Christian faith.
He explained that the event featured a presentation by Dr Gloria Ode, a reproductive health specialist, who highlighted abuses linked to the increasing reliance on surrogate motherhood among both single women and married couples in Nigeria.
According to him, Ode pointed out that certain practices amounted to abuse of the female body and undermined the divine vocation and dignity of motherhood, a position that drew concern from participants at the gathering.
He added that while participants acknowledged the emotional challenges faced by childless couples, they expressed worry over the exploitation of poor young women whose eggs are harvested for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedures, often for minimal compensation.
Ehusani further said participants decried instances where women rented out their wombs for paltry sums after undergoing complex and invasive medical procedures, frequently without full awareness of the potential long-term physical and psychological effects.
He stated that discussants argued such practices reduced motherhood to mere economic transactions and could amount to trafficking in gametes, organs, and the bodies of vulnerable women involved in surrogacy arrangements.
According to him, participants also described as troubling a growing trend in which some affluent women, despite having no infertility challenges, opt for surrogacy to avoid the physical changes associated with pregnancy and childbirth.
“Participants observed that IVF and surrogate motherhood remain largely unregulated in Nigeria’s medical practice, raising ethical and legal concerns within the health and social sectors.
“They called on stakeholders, including Christian leaders, to pressure government to establish effective regulatory frameworks for IVF and surrogate motherhood practices in the country.”
