Journal of Health Science 7 (2019) 327-336 doi: 10.17265/2328-7136/2019.06.001 Women’s Reproductive Autonomy and the Ethics of Baby Making: The Nigerian Case Study Chitu Womehoma Princewill 1 and Ayodele Samuel Jegede 2 1. National Biotechnology Development Agency, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Express Road, Abuja, P.M.B 5118, Nigeria 2. Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria Abstract: This study originates from a larger study carried out on the autonomy and reproductive rights of married Ikwerre women of Rivers State, Nigeria. It examined the use of women for the sole purposes of making babies by couples who are unable to produce children naturally. The study explored a purposive qualitative research method. Data collection was from December 2014 to March, 2015. Thirty four (34) IDIs (in-depth interviews) and six FGDs (focus group discussions) were conducted with married Ikwerre women between the ages of 22 and 60 years with various educational backgrounds, who are either in monogamous or polygynous marriage. Data were analyzed thematically. Questions on understanding of autonomy, reasons for getting married, choice of marriage, effect of marriage, and educational qualifications were asked. Results showed that some women are married off for the sole purpose of making babies for couples who cannot have biological children. These baby making wives are often very unhappy because of the status they are made to assume after having children for these couples. A few are happy, because they see being married for whatever reason as better than being single. Adequate laws should be put in place to regulate ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) in Nigeria. This will help eliminate the exploitation of women for baby making. Key words: Nigeria, Ikwerre, baby making, autonomy, women, infertility. 1. Introduction The practice of modern ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) is relatively new in Nigeria. It comes with challenges of stigmatization on the couples involved, the surrogate mother, and also the children born from this arrangement [1]. Infertility is an issue that is looked upon with shame; couples who are unable to bear children seek alternative means and they do this as discreet as possible to avoid stigmatization because of the socio-cultural importance attached to natural birth [1, 2]. In Africa and indeed the Ikwerre society, having biological children is viewed as a thing of joy and victory over adversaries. A man whose wife is unable to bear children of her own is looked down and the man is mocked by friends and relatives [3]. A woman who is unable to bear children is viewed either as a witch who has eaten up all her Corresponding author: Chitu Womehoma Princewill, PhD, research field: women’s autonomy/bioethics. children, a wayward woman who has aborted all her children or as a cursed woman whom the gods have decided to punish for a sin committed [4, 5]. In most infertile cases in Nigeria, science is brushed aside with a wave of the hand. Infertility, therefore, brings reproach to most families [6, 7]. For this reason parents secretly seek alternative means of having children. Unfortunately, this alternative means of having children in Nigeria does not only erode the woman’s reproductive autonomy, but also stripes her of her dignity, subjects her to exploitation because there are no written agreements due to lack of legal laws for ART [8-10]. Previous studies on ART have not considered the traditional and culturally accepted form of ART, which is, getting an additional but younger wife for the sole purpose of making babies. This paper therefore, examines this traditional and culturally accepted way of ART. The lack of legal framework and code for legal and D DAVID PUBLISHING