Infertility rates have significantly risen in poorer sub-African countries, and Nigeria is one of them. It is estimated that 10-18% of couples in Nigeria face infertility. Due to this, the demand for various fertility treatments has also risen.  

Although the surrogacy Cost in Nigeria is a very effective means of having a child when couples face infertility or medical conditions. The current surrogacy infrastructure in the country often comes with various challenges, such as unregulated surrogacy, legal complexity, limited availability of required medical infrastructure, etc. Even if the couples somehow want to manage, still the cost bearing to this is a bigger challenge to them. 

This article will help you to understand the surrogacy cost in Nigeria with included cost components. Also discussing the legal aspects and factors affecting the overall cost.

A Brief Introduction to Surrogacy in Nigeria

Surrogacy is a form of third-party reproduction method where a woman substitute is called a surrogate mother and agrees to carry the pregnancy in her womb for another couple. The surrogate mother is impregnated with the formed embryos with the help of artificial insemination. The surrogate will agree to carry the child’s pregnancy based on the legal agreement. 

The legal agreement will help to ensure the protection of both the surrogate’s & intended couple’s rights & expectations during the whole surrogacy procedure. 

However, there are two forms of surrogacy methods practiced worldwide generally and there is a lot of difference between the two of them. Let’s learn the difference. 

Traditional vs. Gestational Surrogacy 

In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate mother is artificially inseminated or naturally impregnated to conceive the pregnancy. In this case, the child usually shares a genetic relation with the surrogate. It’s so because of the formation of embryos with the combination of the surrogate’s eggs and the intended father’s sperm.  

Whereas, in gestational surrogacy, the surrogate mother is artificially inseminated with embryos, formed with the combination of both eggs and sperm from the intended couple. Here, in this case, the child will share the genetic relationship with both intended partners. 

Due to genetic relations with the child, couples will usually prefer to opt for gestational surrogacy, which is now growing in demand among infertility couples. 

Which People Require the Surrogacy Method to Achieve the Parenthood Journey?

Surrogacy helps those couples where the female partner is facing certain kinds of medical reasons to be unable to achieve pregnancy or certain types of infertility. Here are the listed reasons:

1. When the female has a medical condition where the chances of conceiving could be difficult, impossible, or life-threatening. 
2. When the female has a malfunctioning of the uterus or the condition of absence of the uterus. 
3. When the female is having an ‘age’ related issue. An increase in age would result in low ovarian reserve, poor quality of eggs, or an inefficient uterus environment for carrying the pregnancy. 
4. When the female has the medical condition of Hysterectomy or Endometriosis. 
5. When the female has faced multiple pregnancy losses or failed IVF attempts. 

Surrogacy Legal Agreement in Nigeria

Surrogacy laws are a kind of uncertain in Nigeria as there are no formal comprehensive legal frameworks or laws. However, there are a set of professional rules or standards that help in regulating the practice. Order 23 of the Code of Medical Ethics in Nigeria has made some provisions & guidelines regarding assisted conception & surrogacy practices in the detailed surrogacy legal agreement. 

So, what does the surrogacy legal agreement in Nigeria include?

1. Importantly includes the right information by both parties. 
2. Full details of the surrogacy procedure with the mentions of evaluations, testing & examinations, screening, and full medical procedures with detailed instructions. 
3. The provision for the necessary payment and reimbursement for the surrogate. 
4. The pre-planned diet & nutrition for the pre-natal care along with the medical instructions. 
5. The parent-child relationship. 
6. The confidentiality or openness of the surrogacy & its legal agreement. 
7. The possession of a child after the delivery process and its breast milk. 
8. The provision for the termination of the agreement. 
9. The provision for the breach of agreement & its possible remedies. 
10. The provision for the termination of the surrogacy pregnancy. 

This is how the intended couples and surrogates are bound by the provided guidelines of the legal agreement. 

So, How Does Surrogacy Work in Nigeria?

Surrogacy is a complex procedure that involves critical steps that need to be performed at the right time. We are here discussing the gestational surrogacy procedure as this is more in demand among the intended couples and their first choice. 

1. The surrogacy process starts with finding & matching a suitable surrogate for the intended couple. The surrogacy agency helps with this and matches based on the preferences while following ethical practices & maintaining the legality of the process. 
2. The surrogate will undergo several diagnostic tests and examinations. The surrogate must ensure her eligibility by passing fitness tests both psychologically and physically. 
3. The legal agreement will be set up between the surrogate and intended couples. The legal agreement will include all the necessary provisions for rights, expectations of each party, payment reimbursements, etc. 
4. The embryo formation process will start with retrieving the multiple eggs & sperm collection. The eggs will be retrieved with the method of oocyte-controlled hyperstimulation (ovulation induction) and its aspiration process. The sperm sample is collected on the very same day as the egg collection. 
5. The embryo formation takes place by combining both the collected reproductive eggs & sperm in a small petri dish. It is all done in the IVF-specialized laboratory and under the guidance of embryologists. The expert will be responsible for successful embryo formation and its culturing & development process until the blastocyst stage. 
6. After carefully selecting quality embryos, they will be then ready to transfer into the surrogate’s uterus. It is done under the guidance of fine fertility specialists. The surrogate will also prescribe the hormonal medication dosages to create a favorable environment for a successful embryo implantation process. 
7. About 2 weeks after the embryo transfer process, a hCG blood test will be performed to confirm the pregnancy procedure. If it is confirmed, then the surrogate will receive full prenatal care, all under the guidance of the surrogacy agency. 
8. After the delivery of the child, the intended couples would have to go for formal child custody and must be obtained to be seen as the legal parents of the child. 

However, the surrogacy procedure in the comprehensive form will give a better understanding of the surrogacy cost in Nigeria. 

So, what will be the Surrogacy Cost in Nigeria?

Due to the absence of a legal framework for surrogacy in Nigeria country, for this reason, it is a little bit difficult to find an established surrogacy network in the country. It may also be possible for the common people to find a dedicated surrogacy agency or fertility center. 

The average surrogacy cost in Nigeria lies in the range of $17,000 – $30,000 or could range higher, depending on the infertility case complexity of the intended couples. However, this is the estimated or speculated cost range which depends on the current IVF cost in the country, which usually ranges between $3,500 – and $4,500. 

The overall surrogacy cost includes several cost components that form this much cost. Here are the listed components with the speculated cost ranges. 

1. The surrogate reimbursement It solely depends on the surrogate to surrogate. The compensation could range between $8,000 – $15,000, depending on factors such as her socio-economic background, terms & agreements, and risks. 
2. The IVF cost- The IVF cost currently ranges between $4,000 – $5,000. It could depend on the factors like fertility clinics, medications, experts, etc. 
3. The surrogacy agency/clinic fees charges- The clinic fees or agency fees could range between $5,000 – $6,000. It could depend on factors like the reputation of the clinics/agencies and their role.  
4. Use of Donor eggs/sperm/embryos- It depends on the legality & complexity of the surrogacy law in the country. It also depends on factors like the availability of donor programs in the clinic or region. 
5. Use of Additional ART techs- It depends on the complexity of the infertility case of the couples. The use of Advanced ART techs such as ICSI, IUI, LAH, Genetic Testing, Cryopreservations, etc. Each one will be added as a separate charge. 
6. The legal agreement- It depends on factors like legal complexity & legal professionals to handle it. 

Factors That Directly Impact the Overall Surrogacy Cost in Nigeria

Factors such as the type of surrogacy opted, the reputation of the agency/clinic, infertility experts’ experience, regulations & laws for legal procedures & requirement of strong legal professionals, and the region or city in Nigeria, etc are the factors that could affect the cost components prices and on the overall surrogacy cost in Nigeria. 

Why Med Fertility Center Nigeria Could Be Your Best & Affordable Choice for Surrogacy?

Med Fertility Center Nigeria is one of the leading IVF & surrogacy centers in the country. The center has the mission to provide compassionate & comprehensive Reproductive Care. The center can complete its mission with the advanced medical infrastructure (state-of-the-art) & infertility experts. The center wants to remove the obstacles of infertility from your life to achieve the dream of parenthood life. 

Here’s why you should trust us for your infertility treatments, especially for IVF & Surrogacy:

1. We have over 30 years in the infertility treatment field.
2. We carefully understand the needs of the potential couples to provide an excellent medically customized plan. 
3. We have the compassion to blend cutting-edge medical science with compassionate care & solution care. 
4. We have provided guidance to over 2,500 successful IVF pregnancies.
5. We also understand that ‘love is for everyone’; that’s why we offer surrogacy & IVF to the LGBTQ community. 

We facilitate the proper guidance throughout the journey for you to create the family you have envisioned. Reach out to our website to know more, https://medfertility.com/. 

Ready to book a free consultation with us? Call us here, +254 701 669315, or email your query to info@medfertility.com

Conclusions

This article has helped you to gain a basic understanding of the surrogacy cost in Nigeria. Do consider evaluating the financial resources required to opt for the surrogacy procedure in the country. If it is manageable, then I would say to consider this surrogacy method. Starting a happy family is the only thing a couple wants to further grow in their relationship and gain respect in society. 

Surrogacy in Nigeria is a very affordable option for international couples who want effective and cheap options compared to the other developed Western nations. 

Consider the cost as an investment for your child. Make an informed decision while booking an appointment today. 

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