Infertility In Africa

The author, being of African descent and having personally struggled with inability to conceive, identifies closely with infertile couples in Africa. In African society where fertility is held in such high regard, infertile couples struggle significantly with criticism and rejection by members of their communities. A solution to this issue, proposed by this capstone project is to create an educational program to encourage understanding and compassion for infertile couples among their communities in developing countries. As many developing countries are most often associated with having high birth rates, the issue of infertility is often not acknowledged. Having children is one of the highest priorities for married couples in many …show more content…
Other causes include sexually transmitted diseases such as Chlamydia and gonorrhea and the age when a woman gets married as young girls have difficulty conceiving and birthing a child if they are married at a young age (PATH.org) Female genital mutilation (FGM) is another factor for infertility. Undergoing FGM can cause infertility due to recurrent infections in these women. As these infections are rarely treated, they can cause long-term effects such as infertility and other reproductive issues (Vince, …show more content…
Besides cultural differences and language barriers, limitations as with many other studies will include support and funding. As the topic of infertility is an already very private topic, researchers need to make sure not to ask questions that are too personal and notice signs when the participant is not ready to discuss the topic further. As the literature pointed out some religious factors when it comes to infertility, it is from outmost importance for the researcher to stay impartial and neutral when the topic of religion and traditions come into play. In addition, researchers need to be mindful as many people might not be able to read, write or understand the English language. Another limitation is funding for the project. In order to conduct the research and eventually implement the education program, resources for training the clinic staff, materials, translators as well as support for the researchers themselves needs to be established. Depending on the government one is dealing with, this could mean lengthy bureaucratic dealings. It might therefore be easier to try and receive help domestically first before moving forward to obtain necessary approvals from the governments in the target countries. If dealing with foreign countries, it is always important to be respectful and honor their laws, rules and