Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Calls for End to Stigma Around Women’s Fertility Issues

 Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie urged society to stop shaming women for fertility struggles during a keynote address at a global women’s health conference in Lagos on April 29, 2025. 

Speaking to 2,000 attendees, Adichie shared her personal experience with infertility, emphasizing that 15% of women worldwide face similar challenges, often in silence due to cultural taboos. She criticized narratives that equate womanhood with motherhood, arguing that such pressures exacerbate mental health issues, with 25% of infertile women reporting depression in global studies.

Adichie, a feminist icon known for “Half of a Yellow Sun,” called for open conversations about reproductive health, citing Nigeria’s 20% infertility rate among couples, driven by factors like untreated infections and delayed marriages. She advocated for affordable fertility treatments, noting that in-vitro fertilization costs N2 million per cycle in Nigeria, out of reach for 60% of the population living below the poverty line. Her speech also addressed patriarchal norms, with 40% of Nigerian women facing family pressure to conceive within a year of marriage, per local surveys.

The author proposed policy reforms, including insurance coverage for fertility care, as seen in countries like France, where 100% of IVF costs are subsidized. She also highlighted the need for education, pointing out that 30% of infertility cases are preventable through early intervention. Adichie’s remarks, part of her broader advocacy for gender equity, sparked a standing ovation and renewed calls for legislative action in Nigeria, where only 5% of healthcare budgets address reproductive health. Her intervention aims to shift cultural attitudes, fostering support for the 1 in 6 women globally navigating fertility challenges.