A 17-year-old girl from Lalitpur was recently hospitalized with severe complications after undergoing an unauthorized egg extraction procedure, highlighting unresolved legal and regulatory challenges surrounding egg donation practices in Nepal.
The teenager’s health rapidly deteriorated a month ago, presenting symptoms including persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, and fainting spells. Initial diagnoses considered urinary tract infection and parasitic infections, but further testing revealed significant ovarian swelling. Medical staff at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj discovered through imaging that the inflammation was severe enough to affect her lungs and warned of the potentially fatal risk posed by a ruptured egg sac.
During her hospital stay, the girl disclosed to doctors that she had donated eggs at an IVF clinic in Lalitpur after being persuaded by an acquaintance to undergo the procedure, with the promise of Rs30,000 in compensation. The extraction was performed at B&B Hospital in Gwarko on June 28. Despite aggressive treatment, the patient’s condition remained fragile, but she showed improvement sufficient to be discharged after one week.
Hospital officials informed the family that extracting eggs from a minor is a serious legal violation and encouraged them to report the matter to police. The family filed a formal complaint with the District Police Range in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, resulting in a case registered under human organ trafficking laws. Senior Superintendent of Police Gautam Mishra confirmed the investigation was underway, focusing on a broader network allegedly involved in the illicit egg trade.
On July 17, police arrested Radhika Gotame, 21, an intermediary who facilitated the teenager's involvement. However, she was released on personal recognizance shortly thereafter following statement recording by prosecutors. Authorities cited limited grounds to hold her in custody, as the court granted only a two-day remand and deemed Gotame an accomplice. Efforts to arrest Dr. Nutan Sharma, a senior consultant obstetrician and gynecologist at B&B Hospital implicated in the transfers of funds to Gotame, were unsuccessful due to the court’s refusal to issue arrest warrants.
Investigators uncovered financial exchanges via WhatsApp indicating Dr. Sharma transferred Rs50,000 to Gotame, who then paid the minor Rs30,000, though the absence of explicit legal provisions addressing reproductive tissue trafficking complicated legal proceedings. Police acknowledged gaps in Nepal’s statutes, particularly the Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act of 2007, which does not explicitly cover the commercial trade of eggs, resulting in a lack of prosecutorial clarity.
Legal experts have criticized this regulatory shortfall. Advocate Shashi Basnet of the Supreme Court Bar Association characterized the invasive egg retrieval from a minor without parental consent as child abuse. Basnet emphasized that existing laws, such as the Act Relating to Children 2018, could be invoked to prosecute such offenses despite the lack of specific statutes on egg donation.
This case unfolds against a backdrop of ongoing controversies involving commercial egg harvesting in Nepal. Notably, a 2025 Supreme Court interim order mandated the government to halt unregulated egg collection, following petitions seeking stricter oversight. Despite official guidelines introduced in 2025 that set age limits for donors (20 to 35 years), cap donation frequency, and prohibit monetary inducements, primary legislation remains absent. This regulatory gap reportedly emboldens illicit networks targeting vulnerable young women, often from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Previously, police investigations exposed illegal egg trade operations supplying clinics charging clients up to Rs1.8 million while remunerating donors minimal amounts. However, prosecution has been hindered by procedural and potential conflicts of interest concerns, including allegations surrounding the withdrawal of charges against medical personnel.
Stakeholders such as Prashant Subedi, operator of Vatsalya IVF, have called for comprehensive legislation rather than outright bans, noting that restrictive policies might push Nepalese patients to seek treatments abroad. Subedi pointed to India’s regulatory framework as an example, which limits egg donation to married women with children and requires stringent storage protocols.
As the investigation into this case continues, the challenges highlighted underscore the urgent need for clearer legal frameworks to safeguard minors and regulate reproductive health services effectively in Nepal.