Chimamanda breaks motherhood stigma, speaks out on surrogacy

Award-winning Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has spoken up about the stigma of not birthing all her kids through the traditionally recognised means.

She announced to the world recently that she welcomed her twins through surrogacy.

Speaking at the first live edition of WithChude Podcast, hosted by media entrepreneur Chude Jideonwo, Adichie addressed the backlash, saying her openness was meant to help women feel less ashamed of non-traditional paths to motherhood.

Surrogacy, in which a surrogate carries a child on behalf of another person or couple, remains a sensitive topic in Nigeria. Adichie, 47, had previously told The Guardian UK that she kept the birth of her sons private to protect them.

At the Lagos event, Adichie said, “I want more women to feel less ashamed about becoming mothers through non-traditional means. You can’t hide the existence of two perfect human beings. People were fixated on the fact that I’m 47 and have babies, but I don’t lie about things that could affect others.”

The Enugu-born novelist, known for Half of a Yellow Sun, added that many women are shamed over fertility challenges, fibroids, or struggles to conceive.

Reflecting on public reaction, she said, “Some viewers even said I looked fantastic after just having a baby, but I couldn’t say thank you—because it wasn’t true.” Despite the criticism, Adichie stated she has no regrets about sharing her surrogacy journey.

Source: Guardian