Abstract: A process for producing a highly water-absorptive polymer, which comprises suspending an aqueous solution containing a water-soluble polymerizable monomer and an optional crosslinking agent into droplets in a hydrophobic organic solvent in the presence of a dispersant and a water-soluble radical polymerization initiator, and allowing the water-soluble polymerizable monomer to polymerize in the droplets, wherein the dispersant is a phosphoric ester surface active agent represented by the following general formula [I]: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents an alkyl or alkylaryl group having 8 to 30 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 represents OH group or a group of the formula --(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.m --OR.sup.1, and m and n are an integer of 1 to 30, andthe aqueous solution is successively fed to the hydrophobic organic solvent so that the droplets of different polymerization degrees can be present in the solvent.