The United Kingdom has advised citizens against considering in vitro fertilisation (IVF), fertility treatment, or surrogacy in Nigeria, citing reports of staged fake births, also known as “miracle babies.”

In the latest advisory, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) warned that if they must consider Nigeria as a destination for fertility treatment, they must exercise caution.

“If you’re considering fertility treatment in Nigeria, exercise caution,” it said. “There have been reports of a number of staged fake births (commonly called ‘miracle babies’) where visitors are falsely led to believe that a birth has taken place.”

FCDO said Nigeria’s “weak” fertility sector, including surrogacy services, prompted the advisory.

“Ensure you are aware of relevant UK requirements if you plan to bring a baby born through fertility treatment in Nigeria into the UK, such as guidance on surrogacy overseas,” it advised.

The government reaffirmed the restriction on adoption of children from Nigeria, and warned of possible prosecution if children without blood ties to the UK are brought into the country without legal procedures.

“The UK has restricted overseas adoption of children from Nigeria,” it said. “If you bring a child who is not biologically related to you into the UK without following the legal procedures, you could face prosecution, and the child may not be eligible for British citizenship.”

The country earlier announced restrictions on adoptions from Nigeria, Cambodia, Guatemala, Nepal, Haiti, and Ethiopia.

The restriction on adoption from Nigeria came into force in 2021, with the government citing weak pre- and post-adoption monitoring procedures, unreliable documentation, corruption in the adoption system, child trafficking, and “difficulties confirming the background and adoptability of children.”

In Nigeria, there have been reports of a “cryptic pregnancy” scam, a situation where women trying to conceive are assured of a “miracle fertility treatment” to aid conception.

A 2024 report by the British Broadcating Corporation (BBC) said that women, most of whom were under pressure, paid hundreds of dollars for treatment involving taking an injection, a drink, or a substance inserted into the vagina.

The women told the BBC that they observed swollen stomachs afterwards. On the due date, they were induced with a “rare and expensive drug” that causes drowsiness, a hallucinatory state, and fake deliveries.

The news outlet said it found during its investigation that the women were warned against conventional hospitals and scans because the baby would not be detected.