EGG HARVESTING AND DESPERATE WOMEN

A disturbing practice is reportedly unfolding in Nigeria, where some fertility clinics are allegedly harvesting eggs from young women in exchange for money, a practice that contravenes World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. These guidelines stipulate that egg harvesting, similar to blood donation, should not be a commercial transaction.

Reports highlight a growing desperation among young women, with instances of underage victims being coerced into selling their eggs on a monthly basis. This frequency far exceeds the medical prescription that limits egg harvesting to no more than twice a year. In Plateau State, for example, the Gender and Equal Opportunity Commission disclosed that young women are selling their ova for sums between N120,000 and N150,000 to fund lifestyles or purchase expensive items like phones.

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Young girls now sell their ova to buy expensive phones or fund their lifestyles. If you remove your ovum, they give you either N120,000 or N150,000

This issue is not confined to specific regions but appears to be a national problem, fueled by the lucrative global trade in human organs, eggs, and embryos. The economic deprivation in Nigeria reportedly contributes to a large pool of willing sellers. Accounts describe women and girls being administered drugs for ovarian hyperstimulation to facilitate egg extraction, with some female university undergraduates participating in these transactions.

The demand from in-vitro fertilization (IVF) "factories" appears to drive the exploitation of young women. Compounding the problem are reports of substandard IVF services, leading to serious health concerns for some couples. Additionally, there are allegations of fraudulent Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) centers facilitating the purchase of babies, often involving young or underage girls acting as surrogates. Given that an estimated one in four Nigerian couples face fertility issues, the social pressure surrounding fertility in Nigeria makes this exploitation particularly concerning.

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We told students of the danger of such practice and warned them to stop selling their Ova. The problem is rampant not only in communities but in schools.