Haunted by societal pressure, family expectations, and the ticking of their biological clocks, thousands of Nigerian women are fighting a silent, dangerous war to conceive.
Many are turning to unregulated, unverified, and unsafe methods sacrificing their health, finances, and peace of mind for the hope of motherhood.
A 2024 study by the Nigerian Medical Association found that nearly 40% of TTC women aged 25–39 admitted to using unregulated fertility products without medical supervision. In urban areas, these range from hormonal pills and injectables bought from chemists, to herbal concoctions and powders imported from Asia.
When the Womb Becomes a Marketplace
Kemi Olabosun, married for three years and diagnosed with fibroids while her husband was battling Azoospermia (a condition that affects sperm production), turned to Instagram for hope. What she found was a trap.
“I paid ₦200,000 for a herbal ‘conception kit’ I saw on Instagram. The vendor disappeared after I made payment. I was desperate. I didn’t want to keep going to the hospital where nothing seemed to be working,” Kemi says.
But Kemi is not alone.
Mrs. Mayeloye Esther, A Senior Lecturer at the university of ESAE in Cotonou, Benin Republic who battled infertility for five years, described her journey as emotionally and financially draining. She regularly bought over-the-counter fertility enhancers and herbal combinations each treatment lasting just 15 days and costing ₦100,000.
“I started hiding it from my husband. He was always supportive, but I couldn’t admit it wasn’t working. I would take the drugs, seat baths, steam my body with garlic and ginger, and hope this one would be ‘the one.’ I was killing myself slowly with hope.”
Zyna Obasi, a life coach, Adoption advocate and women’s wellbeing Advocate in Abuja, faced the heartbreak of infertility with quiet strength and intentional resilience.
Though spared the harsh judgment many TTC women endure, she battled a different kind of pain unspoken expectations, constant intrusive prayers, and well-meaning but wounding comments from family and friends.
Her most devastating moment came after losing a long-awaited pregnancy despite enduring days in a painful, head-down hospital position.
That loss could have broken her, but instead, it became a turning point. “I refused to be a victim,” she said.
Zyna redirected her energy toward financial independence, determined to explore every possible path adoption, IVF, surrogacy until her dream of motherhood came true.
Her journey is a powerful reminder that hope, when backed by action, is a form of healing.
I Fought for 10 Years,Then Conceived Twins Through a Cryptic Pregnancy”
In a twist that defies conventional medical understanding, Ada Uche, a woman who battled infertility for a decade, shared a powerful testimony
“If I tell you my story about cryptic pregnancy, you will be shocked,” she wrote in a private message. “I thank God. I fought infertility for 10 years, and to the glory of God Almighty, I am alive to testify.
I was blessed with a set of twins a boy and a girl on September 27, 2023.
“A day I will never forget.”
Her account highlights a rarely believed phenomenon cryptic pregnancy where a woman carries a pregnancy without the typical signs.
Though many doctors warn that the concept is often used to exploit desperate women, Ada insists her experience was real and miraculous.
Ada insisted that “Cryptic pregnancy is a pure scam.”
The Medical Red Flags
Dr. Mary Tijani Adewumi, a gynecologist and fertility expert who owns God’s Assistant Clinic and Maternity Home, Lagos State, says the rise of unregulated fertility vendors online is an epidemic no one is talking about.
“These women are not being monitored. They’re taking hormonal drugs that can disrupt ovulation cycles, damage their reproductive organs, or worsen undiagnosed conditions. Most of the so-called ‘miracle’ drugs contain steroids, expired Clomid, or counterfeit estrogen pills,” she warns.
According to Dr. Adewumi, many women come to her when it’s already too late when they’ve developed endometrial lining damage or polycystic ovary complications worsened by self medication.
Trapped Between Faith and Fertility
Buchi who pleads anomity, is another woman trying to conceive for years, shares a different kind of pressure: spiritual and social.
“My mother-in-law asked if I had tried a prophet. Someone told me to do a midnight prayer with a red scarf tied around my stomach. They said a ‘spiritual child’ was blocking the physical one.”
Eventually, Buchi distanced herself from social events where questions about her womb became a standard greeting.
“People meant well, but it felt like every conversation was a reminder that I was failing at being a woman.”
Pregnancy at a Price: When Support Isn’t Enough
Ihuoma Chidire Madu, A Lagos State Resident and a friend to Mrs. Mayeloye Esther was one of the few lucky to have a supportive husband but even that didn’t shield her from the outside noise.
“People asked my husband if he was sure I could give him a child. One friend advised him to get another girl pregnant secretly and bring the baby home for me to raise.”
Ihuoma stuck to medically guided procedures hormonal therapy and fertility-enhancing drugs under her gynecologist’s watch. But the mental exhaustion was real.
“Every month was a cycle of hope and heartbreak. I avoided baby showers. I muted WhatsApp groups. I prayed in tears. No one tells you that even when your body is doing everything right, the mind can still break.”
The Science They’re Not Hearing
Dr.Adewumi continues by saying the lack of accessible reproductive education is fueling the crisis.
“Many of these women don’t even understand their ovulation cycles. They buy drugs online without knowing what’s missing. Is it hormonal imbalance? Is it low ovarian reserve? You can’t solve what you don’t diagnose,” she explains.
Dr. Adewunmi adds that some unlicensed vendors use recycled or fake fertility medications repackaged as “herbal boosters,” which can cause hormonal disruptions, irregular bleeding, or ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).
The Price of Pressure
Behind the herbal concoctions, fertility teas, spiritual candles, and fertility capsules lies a deeper burden shame. Most women interviewed admitted to keeping their TTC journey secret, even from close family.
Kemi says, “I felt like less of a woman, every period felt like failure, i googled everything, from foods that make you pregnant to ‘Bible verses for fruit of the womb, I was exhausted, ashamed, and alone.”
Commonly Used Fertility Medications
These are sometimes prescribed by doctors but often abused without medical guidance,
- Clomid (Clomiphene Citrate) – Stimulates ovulation
- Letrozole (Femara) – Ovulation induction, especially in PCOS
- Duphaston (Dydrogesterone) – A synthetic progesterone used to support pregnancy
- Pregnyl / Ovidrel (hCG) – Triggers ovulation
- Gonal-F, Menopur (FSH hormones) – Stimulate multiple egg production
- Metformin – For women with insulin resistance-related ovulatory dysfunction
- Estradiol (Estrofem) – Thickens uterine lining
- Cabergoline (Dostinex) – Reduces high prolactin levels that affect ovulation
Unregulated or Herbal Remedies (Often Risky)
These are widely sold online or in open markets, often without labels or NAFDAC approval
- “Fertility boosters” or “Conception kits” (commonly sold on Instagram and WhatsApp)
- Powdered herbal mixtures with unknown origins and ingredients
- Fertility teas with unverified hormonal effects
- Roots and barks mixed with gin or soaked in water
- Steam/vaginal herbs like garlic, ginger, bitter leaf, and cloves
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Hormonal pills sold by roadside chemists without prescription sometimes expired or counterfeit versions of Clomid or estrogen
Note
Self-medicating with these drugs can lead to hormonal imbalance, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), organ damage, or long-term infertility. Always consult a certified fertility specialist before taking any fertility drug or herbal remedy.
The Hidden Cost of Desperation: Unsafe Fertility Practices Among Nigerian Women
Highlights of the emotional, financial, and medical toll of unregulated fertility treatments.
- 40% of TTC women use unregulated fertility products without medical supervision.
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₦100,000–₦200,000: Average spent per herbal or over the counter treatment cycle.
- Top risks: Hormonal imbalance, organ damage, fake or expired medications.
- Silent sufferers: Most TTC women keep their struggles hidden from even close family.
- Common methods: Herbal boosters, expired Clomid, fertility teas, spiritual rituals.
“I was killing myself slowly with hope.” Mrs. Mayeloye Esther.
This data calls for urgent action: stronger regulation, widespread reproductive education, and the dismantling of harmful societal pressures around fertility.
Lessons from the Brave: What They Want Other Women to Know
- Medical First, Not Last: Always do a fertility assessment from a certified specialist before using any fertility product. Blood tests, ultrasounds, and semen analysis should be the starting point.
- Unfollow Pressure: Social media testimonies don’t equal scientific results. Every body is different. What worked for someone else might destroy your own chances.
- Talk to Your Partner: Keep communication open. TTC journeys can break marriages in silence. Let your partner in.
- Protect Your Peace: Create emotional boundaries. You don’t owe anyone explanations about your womb.
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Don’t Mix Faith with Fear: Spirituality is powerful, but it should support not replace science.
A Plea for Regulation and Respect
It’s time for authorities like NAFDAC and the Federal Ministry of Health to act. The black market for fertility solutions in Nigeria is thriving in silence. Vendors are profiting off the pain of hopeful women without licenses, safety checks, or accountability.
Equally, society must stop viewing childbearing as a woman’s sole purpose. Emotional abuse, pressure, and shame have done more damage than any infertility diagnosis ever could.
Final Word
These women Kemi, Esther, Ihuoma, Buchi, Zyna are not weak. They are warriors in silence, carrying invisible burdens for years. Their courage should not be the exception. Their warnings should not go unheard.
If we continue to let desperation meet exploitation, Nigeria will have more wombs broken by hope than by biology.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
