REPRODUCTIVE LABOUR AND ECONOMIC SURVIVAL AMONG LOW-INCOME SURROGATE MOTHERS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Debates about reproductive labour, women’s bodily autonomy, and economic survival have become heated as surrogacy has grown in popularity in today’s reproductive markets. This study looks at how low-income women who use surrogacy deal with the conflict between financial need and reproductive labour, paying special attention to the socioeconomic factors that influence their involvement in Nigeria. The study examines how surrogacy operates as a type of labor embedded within current systems of inequality using a gendered analytical framework. The study critically engages with the lived experiences of surrogate mothers, emphasizing the circumstances under which decisions are made and negotiated, rather than viewing surrogacy as a purely contractual or mutually beneficial arrangement. Drawing on qualitative interviews with eight low-income surrogate mothers in Nigeria and employing snowball sampling, the study explores participants’ motivations, experiences, and socioeconomic outcomes within surrogacy arrangements. In order to investigate income utilisation, changes in economic status, social perceptions, and long-term welfare implications, the study centres the voices of low-income surrogate mothers in Nigeria through qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews and snowball sampling. Additionally, it takes into account the ethical and legal environment surrounding surrogacy in Nigeria. The findings indicate that economic hardship, childcare responsibilities, and financial instability were among the primary factors motivating participation in surrogacy, while financial compensation was widely perceived as an important means of economic survival and improvement. It highlights the need for more adaptable and protective frameworks for women involved in surrogacy practices while providing a nuanced understanding of how economic survival is pursued within limited circumstances.