State of the World from NPR India’s black market for human eggs
Jan 21, 2026
Dia Hadid, an investigative reporter specializing in international stories, dives into India's underground market for human eggs. She meets a woman in Mumbai who has sold her eggs multiple times to survive, revealing the harsh realities behind egg donation. Hadid unpacks the risks women face due to restrictive laws and the role of intermediaries in this perilous trade. Shocking accounts of abuse and exploitation highlight the need for legal protections for donors, raising deep ethical questions about the commodification of human life.
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Woman Claims Dozens Of Biological Children
- H says she has had her eggs harvested at least 30 times over five years and believes each harvest produced many children.
- She gets between $280 and $800 per harvest, which can exceed typical monthly wages in India.
Egg Selling As Survival Strategy
- H says she began selling eggs after becoming homeless and being encouraged by a friend who sold eggs too.
- She frames egg selling as a survival strategy after leaving her husband and losing her home.
Regulation Shrank Legal Egg Supply
- India's 2021 law allows a woman to donate eggs only once, sharply restricting legal supply.
- That legally constrained supply combined with rising demand has fostered an unregulated paid market.