Nigerian nurses reject surrogacy and donor conception due to religious and cultural factors
Perception and willingness of Nigerian nurses to utilize assisted reproductive technologies. (Oyegbade, 2025)
Oyegbade, A. P., Akinwaare, M. O., & Akingbade, O. (2025). Perception and willingness of Nigerian nurses to utilize assisted reproductive technologies. Gynecology & Reproductive Health, 9(3), 1-6.
Geographic Region: Nigeria
Research Question: What are the perceptions and willingness of female nurses at a tertiary hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria to utilize assisted reproductive technologies?
Design: Descriptive cross-sectional research design conducted between July and September 2021. Data were collected using self-structured questionnaires distributed to female nurses at Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital in Ibadan across different units and shifts over an eight-day period. The questionnaire comprised five sections: sociodemographic variables, knowledge of ARTs, perception towards ARTs, willingness to utilize ARTs, and factors influencing perception.
Sample: 100 female nurses from Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital (88% response rate). The sample consisted predominantly of younger nurses, with 71% aged 20-39 years and 29% aged 40 and above. 54% had at least one child and 52% married. The overwhelming majority identified as Yoruba ethnicity (92%), with small representations of Igbo (6%) and Hausa (2%). Most participants (84%) had 1-20 years of clinical experience. Educational qualifications showed 45% held RN/RM diplomas, 50% had bachelor’s degrees, 4% had master’s degrees, and 1% held a PhD. Religious affiliation was predominantly Christian (81%) with 19% Muslim.
Key Findings
Perception was nearly evenly split, with 51% of nurses demonstrating positive perception toward ARTs and 49% showing negative perception.
Sixty-five percent agreed that ARTs have more benefits than hazards, 87% believed risks can be effectively managed, and 84% agreed ARTs can help most women have a baby before menopause.
Fifty-six percent disagreed that children conceived through ARTs develop long-term health problems, while 52% agreed that ART costs are expensive and cannot be recommended to anyone.
Regarding willingness to utilize specific techniques, only 60% were likely to consider IVF if experiencing difficulty getting pregnant, and 54% were willing to purchase home fertility devices.
Substantial majorities were unwilling or undecided about third-party reproduction methods: 64% regarding surrogacy, 77% for sperm donation from a known donor, 71% for sperm from an anonymous donor, 79% for egg donation from a known donor, and 77% for embryo donation.
Key factors influencing perception included: 93% indicated that access to more information about ARTs would increase their confidence in discussing it with patients; 79% stated their religion does not permit ART use; 66% were unwilling to engage in any ART-related activities; and 67% believed ARTs have become a norm in society.
Statistical analysis revealed no significant relationship between nurses’ level of education and their willingness to utilize ARTs.
Limitations: The cross-sectional study design has limitations in ascertaining influencing factors on perception and utilization of ARTs. Only female nurses were included in the study. The binary classification of perception (positive/negative) and willingness (good/poor) using arbitrary cutoff scores may oversimplify complex attitudes and lose nuanced information.
Applications: Nursing curriculum should include comprehensive content on ARTs to prepare students for providing care to fertility patients. Patients should be aware that healthcare providers may have personal beliefs influenced by religion and culture that could affect their counseling and support, highlighting the need for patient advocacy.
Funding Source: No funding source is mentioned in the article.
Lead Author: Abosede P. Oyegbade is affiliated with the Department of Maternal and Child Health Nursing at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and the Institute of Nursing Research in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria. There is no indication of a personal link to donor conception.
Regulatory Context
Nigeria has no comprehensive federal laws governing gamete donation or ART procedures. The fertility industry operates in a largely self-regulated environment with minimal government oversight.
Professional organizations like the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) provide some guidance, but these recommendations are not legally binding.
The lack of regulation combined with strong cultural and religious influences creates a complex environment where ART services are available primarily through private clinics but face significant social, religious, and financial barriers to acceptance and utilization.
Legal parentage is typically determined by birth and marital presumption, but the absence of specific ART legislation creates uncertainty in cases involving donor gametes or surrogacy.
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