Child adoption willingness among women attending fertility clinic at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate child adoption willingness among women attending the fertility clinic at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Ituku-Ozala, Enugu. The study was guided by three objectives. A self-structured questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection from 121 women attending the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital's fertility clinic. A descriptive survey methodology was employed for this study. Frequency tables and percentages were used in the systematic analysis of the data using descriptive statistics. The results of the analysis of the data showed that 93% of the sample, had heard of child adoption. The most common places they heard about it were hospitals (36%) and social media (33%). Of the respondents, 46% think that adopting a child entails parents obtaining the child legally, while 42% realize that adopting a child is essentially purchasing a child. Eighty-two percent of respondents said they would be willing to adopt a child and eighty-three percent said adoption is a good idea. The majority of respondents (41%) thought that adoption promoted domestic peace (30%) and helped redistribute wealth. Women who were adopting children perceived difficulties in the form of the biological parents taking back the child (37%) and the child's perceived unknown parental origin (37%). Researchers concluded that although a larger percentage of women embrace child adoption, more of them believe adoption is just like purchasing a child. This false belief can be dispelled by providing appropriate education and advocating for women to gain a better grasp of the procedures involved in adopting a child.