If you want to know so much about the cryptic pregnancy in Nigeria, read this article to the end.
What Is Cryptic Pregnancy?
Cryptic pregnancy is the phenomenon whereby women do not become consciously aware of their pregnancy until the last weeks of gestation or in some cases until they give birth.
Also, it is the lack of subjective awareness of pregnancy until the end of gestation in pregnant women, is reviewed and reinterpreted in an evolutionary biological framework (1).
Very often, bodily symptoms of pregnancy (nausea, amenorrhea and abdomen swelling) are absent or greatly reduced, and neonates tend to be underweight.
Also, in many cases, pregnancy goes undetected by relatives and physicians. This is cryptic pregnancy.
From studies, this phenomenon could happen for different reasons.
- cryptic pregnancy could be a non-adaptive outcome of conflict resolution processes over resource allocation in pregnancy, possibly related to minor disruptions of genomic imprinting mechanisms
- Cryptic pregnancy could result from missed spontaneous abortions of low-quality fetuses(2)
- It could happen as a result of the use of contraceptives (3)
How Cryptic Pregnancy In Nigeria Started
Some years back, police made first discovery of baby factories in Nigeria, with most of them in the east (4).
In the practice, owners of the factories bring in young girls and match them with men who would impregnate them.
Also, the owners will seek women who want babies, without proper adoption process. They will negotiate with them, reaching payment agreements.
The young girl carries the baby for nine months, delivers and hands the baby to the factory owner.
She gets her pay and all appears well.
When police began discovering them in their numbers, they began thinking.
Presently, there is a shift from this old practice because of the trailing security agents.
While this happens we now hear of women giving birth in special homes with the name – cryptic pregnancy.
They are made to believe that their pregnancy is cryptic. But from the introduction in this article, there is an issue with this Nigeria’s cryptic pregnancy.
Our Findings
Few months ago, a women with this ‘cryptic pregnancy’ reached out to us. After our conversation with her we found a few things about the process.
How Cryptic Pregnancy In Nigeria Is Done
The woman often gets a link with the supposed expert through a friend or family member who knows about them.
She either takes her there or links her up with the ‘expert’ and the process begins.
She will go for examination and then she will get some ‘herbs’ that will ‘help her conceive’.
The woman goes home and sleeps with your husband after two days of taking the herbs as she is told (whether it is her ovulation period or not, that may not be considered).
Few months after taking the ‘herbs’ she will begin to notice that her stomach is changing in size.
“I really do not feel a kick or anything. And that is because it is cryptic pregnancy,” she said.
So, she continues to take other herbs that she would get from the ‘expert’ waiting for delivery date.
She told us that one thing is that the pregnancy will last for more than the usual 9 months.
“You will carry the baby for 1 year or more,” she explained.
When we asked if she had gone for a scan at the hospital; she said yes. “But they told me there is no baby there,” she added.
One of the things they are often told is not to visit the hospital.
See 7 Questions To Ask Before You Choose Cryptic Pregnancy
All processes start and end with the ‘expert’.
On the day of delivery, the woman goes to the expert’s designated facility to give birth.
When it is time to give birth, the ‘expert’ induces the woman.
What Exactly Happens With Cryptic Pregnancy In Nigeria
Most importantly, note that no one orchestrates cryptic pregnancy, but in Nigeria an ‘expert’ does.
The individual will have to take some ‘herbs’ that will help her get pregnant.
What The Herbs Do
There are herbs that a woman could take that would alter her hormones and cause fibroid and liver enlargement to happen.
These increases the size of her stomach, making her believe she is pregnant.
Basically, this is the reason no scan finds foetus during examination at a genuine hospital.
Also, in Nigeria the woman is required to take her antenatal with the ‘expert’ and advised not to go to the hospital.
Why is this so?
At the late stage of cryptic pregnancy, scan shows foetus. But in Nigeria’s case, scan never shows a baby.
Only the ‘expert’ who forced the ‘pregnancy’ sees the baby.
1. Nigeria’s Cryptic Defiles Ovulation
Science says a woman must be in her ovulation for conception to happen.
However, when a woman goes for cryptic pregnancy in Nigeria, ovulation is not an issue. As such, women who are in their menopause could give birth.
2. Delivery Only Happens At ‘Expert’s Facility
When a woman is truly pregnant she could go to any hospital to give birth, but this is not the case. Once they can access her records.
During this delivery period she gets some drugs that will make her unconscious and unable to know what is going on.
What Really Happens During delivery?
From our findings, cryptic pregnancy in Nigeria is a lie. It is just the usual baby factory with a new name.
After a woman takes the ‘herbs’ the ‘expert’ looks for a young girl that will give birth to the baby.
Also, they plan her delivery to happen on the same day the woman will come in for delivery.
Once she is induced, they will bring the new born from the young girl and keep it by her side as her baby.
When she regains her consciousness, she will find that a baby is there. No woman pushes a baby out of her vagina in an unconscious situation. The baby will not come out. You must push with your energy and consciousness.
Unfortunately, the woman who is desperate for a child, returns home happy and with testimonies.
She may never give attention to checking the DNA of their baby or even marching the blood group.
It is a new trend that people now use to make money from women who are desperate to have a child and save their marriages.
Recommendations
While cryptic pregnancy incidence is about 1 in ever 475 pregnancies, we know that the number is way higher than this in Nigeria.
However, we recommend that you weigh the statements of the supposed ‘expert’, with what science says about pregnancy.
If the foetus (baby) never shows in scan throughout the period of pregnancy, my dear woman, get sense.
Never take this process as an option. Instead adopt a baby.
Women Also Read: How I Corrected Hormonal Imbalance And Gave Birth To Near Twin
If you are ‘carrying a baby’ that is from this process, we recommend that you go for fibroid and liver enlargement test.
If this tests come out positive, then, right there is the reason your stomach is getting bigger.
Again, if you are a victim already, kindly do a DNA test to be certain of whose baby you have in your home.
May God give women understanding and make them less desperate for babies.
Getting pregnant is not a difficult thing if only you are ready to practise healthy living and learn the right things that naturally aid conception or boost your chances of conception.
Above all, hinge your faith in God who give women the power and plants the seed.
So u want me to believe your part story if Cryptic pregnancy, and not believe Nigerian own. To me they look alike. How can one be pregnant and not knowing until delivery day. Even if its arat
Apparently you did not read the article well. The Cryptic pregnancy we know, after some months the baby shows in scan. But the Nigeria version, the baby never shows. We hope you can see the difference now.
It’s another way of scamming
Funny enough, the women are satisfied with this process. Which is not only dangerous but also very expensive because u may end up with a child who is SS, Mongol or even with one form of deformity or the order.
I actually feel the desperation in these women but I think your best bet is to trust God who is the ultimate Giver of children and He will give you the baby that would not add sorry or pain to your family. Be patient sisters and have faith in Jesus Christ, while you try the healthy and natural means of getting pregnant. All the best.
Thank you so much Gloria. We hope they will really look up to God for the result they see.