Woman allegedly pregnant for 15 months

Investigation according to BBC Africa Eye uncovered a disturbing fertility scam in Anambra State, Nigeria, where illegal clinics are exploiting desperate women through false pregnancies and child trafficking. An investigation has found that scammers posing as doctors lure women with promises of “miracle infertility treatments” costing hundreds of dollars.

Nigeria, which has one of the highest birth rates in the world, places enormous social pressure on women to get pregnant, often exposing those who cannot to stigma, harassment or ostracism. Faced with this social tension, many women resort to desperate measures in their pursuit of motherhood.

The woman, named Chioma, claimed to have “carried” the baby for about 15 months.

As part of a year-long undercover operation, BBC Africa Eye exposed these fraudulent practices. Posing as a couple seeking infertility treatment, investigators have revealed how fraudsters posing as medical specialists offer fake treatments at exorbitant prices. These so-called treatments, often involving mysterious injections or potions, lead to swollen bellies that mimic pregnancy, giving women false hope.

The BBC reported that some women felt changes in their bodies, such as a bloated belly, which further convinced them that they were pregnant. Women undergoing the “treatment” are warned not to visit any conventional doctors or hospitals because no examination or pregnancy test will detect the “baby” that scammers claim is growing outside the womb.

According to media reports, women are told that when it’s time to “go into labor,” labor will only begin after they are induced with a “rare and expensive drug” that requires further payment. The scammers then sedate the women, and they wake up with an incision mark that looks like a Caesarean section. Others say they are given an injection that causes drowsiness and hallucinations in which they believe they are giving birth.

In Ihiala, Anambra State, a woman known as “Dr Ruth” runs such a clinic in a dilapidated hotel. For a fee of 350,000 naira ($205), he convinces women that they will soon become mothers, despite the lack of legitimate medical evidence.

The scam uses mystery pregnancy – a rare but legitimate condition – to further defraud women. Online, scammers are using Facebook groups to spread myths about miraculous pregnancies, preying on vulnerable women around the world, from Nigeria to the United States.

In February 2024, a raid by Anambra State health authorities revealed the chilling reality behind these operations. Authorities discovered a facility where women were held against their will, some as young as 17, and were forced to give up their newborns.

This tragic case highlights the urgent need for social reform. Experts warn that unless society changes attitudes towards women’s reproductive rights and adoption, these types of frauds will continue to occur, preying on the vulnerable and perpetuating cycles of exploitation and despair.