Short CommunicationAttitude of Infertile Women to Child Adoption in Nigeria

Abstract

Infertility has serious consequences especially in Africa where a high premium is place on child bearing. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was administered on 396 consenting women seeking infertility treatment at the gynaecological clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan in an attempt to assess the attitude of infertile women in Nigeria to child adoption and its acceptability as a management option for infertility. Most (64%) believed its culturally unacceptable and only 17% will try it as an option. Sustained advocacy, community mobilization and enactment of supportive laws were some of the suggestions made by respondents to improve its uptake.

Keywords; Infertility, Adoption, Assisted Conception

Nig. J. Physiol. Sci. 25(2010) 47 – 49