Catholic Bishops Urge IVF Clinic Regulation
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has urged the Federal Government to tighten control over fertility clinics across the country. The call comes amid growing concerns about the rising use of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and its potential for abuse.
Speaking at the Second Plenary of the Conference in Obot Akara Diocese, Akwa Ibom State, the CBCN President, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, warned that unregulated IVF practices pose serious health and ethical risks. He said many unlicensed clinics operate without oversight, leaving desperate couples vulnerable to exploitation and medical dangers.
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“Some clinics are run by competent professionals,” Ugorji noted. “But many others are in the hands of quacks. Clients risk being defrauded, suffering complications, permanent infertility, and even death. Government must act now to set regulations and ethical guidelines.”
The Archbishop also expressed concern about young women, particularly students, who sell their eggs for meagre amounts without being fully aware of the long-term risks to their health.
Reaffirming the Catholic Church’s position, Ugorji stressed that IVF remains forbidden for Catholics. According to him, the procedure is “gravely immoral” because it separates the unitive and procreative aspects of marriage. He added that the destruction or freezing of embryos undermines the dignity and right to life of every human being.
The conference also renewed calls for urgent measures to address environmental degradation in the Niger Delta. Oil pollution, they said, continues to devastate communities and threaten livelihoods, demanding immediate government intervention.
With IVF growing in popularity among Nigerian couples, the CBCN insists that strict regulation is necessary to protect vulnerable citizens, safeguard ethics, and prevent exploitation.
Content Credit: Ohidah Oluwaferanmi
Image Credit: Vangaurd News.com
