AWARENESS ON CHILD ADOPTION AS AN ALTERNATIVE OPTION FOR INFERTILITY MANAGEMENT IN USELU COMMUNITY, EDO STATE

The main aim of this study was to examine awareness of child adoption does not positively affect the perception and attitude of infertile women. The problem of this study was that infertility has become a global health challenge with devastating psycho-social consequences in many African communities. Nigeria’s rate of infertility is as high as 30%. Child adoption, although usually perceived as the last option for couples with incurable infertility, is associated with several physical, psychological, emotional and ethical issues. These issues have been linked to low acceptance of child adoption among infertile couples. The broad objective of this study was to assess the opinions of infertile women regarding child adoption in South-western Nigeria. The methodology adopted by this study was the probabilistic and survey research design which was employed using questionnaire. A purposive sampling technique with a criterion sampling strategy was used to select hundred and thirty household (130) not necessary infertile women and a focus group structured interview was utilized to collect data from the participants. The demographic data of Respondents were analysed using the simple percentage the research hypotheses was analysed qualitatively using Chi-Square Statistical Tool to analyse the data on opinions of infertile couples. The results from the findings of this study shows, none of the respondents had ever practiced child adoption, meanwhile, awareness of child adoption was viewed as alternative to management infertility, though attitudinal disposition varied. Respondents was of the opinion that child adoption brings joy into the lives of the couple especially those who are yet to have children, though they stated that the society does not accept it but adoption was seen as a way of contributing to the life of an individual as well as make the couple satisfied. The study concludes that there the knowledge of child adoption fosters the willingness of individual and couples to legally adopt. Also, the results show that awareness of child adoption positively affects the perception and attitude of infertile women in Alagbaka Community to child adoption and its acceptability as a management option for infertility. The study further finds that child adoption as an alternative option for infertility contributes to the life of an individual as well as makes the couple fulfilled