‘With the <i>kanyaleng</i> and the help of god, you don’t feel ashamed’: women experiencing infertility in Casamance, Senegal

Dierickx, Susan

doi:10.1080/13691058.2020.1833366

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Here, we present findings related to men’s aetiological knowledge, views and experiences of infertility, and the impact it has on their lives, in the West Coast region of The Gambia, West Africa. This study was conducted as part of a larger anthropological and health systems research programme designed to understand the lived experiences and access to appropriate care among people with infertility in Senegal (Casamance) and The Gambia (West Coast region) [ 3 , 13 , 18 – 20 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Men and infertility in The Gambia: Limited biomedical knowledge and awareness discourage male involvement and exacerbate gender-based impacts of infertility

et al. 2021

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Introduction Infertility in Sub-Saharan Africa constitutes an important social and public health problem. Yet, there is a paucity of research on the experiences of men living with infertility, especially in West Africa. This study explored men’s aetiological knowledge, views and experiences of infertility in the West Coast region of The Gambia, West Africa. Methodology An explorative qualitative study was conducted among men living in the rural and urban communities of the West Coast region of The Gambia using in-depth interviews. Data collection and analysis were performed concurrently, and thematic data analysis was an iterative process carried out using NVivo 11 Analysis Software. Results Gambian men had generally poor knowledge of infertility, allocating it to God, spiritual powers and bodily (biomedical) factors. While societal norms meant that infertility was generally attributed to women, some men allocated male-factor infertility to poor sperm quality and impotence. Infertility threatened participants’ sense of masculinity and resulted in psychosocial distress, including stigma, feelings of isolation, and low self-esteem. Conclusion Normative gendered frameworks of infertility result in high levels of female responsibilisation in the Gambian context. Yet men diagnosed with infertility experience significant, often unrecognized, psychological and social distress. We therefore call for increased attention to male-factor infertility, and the promotion of male engagement with infertility-care and services, both of which are essential for successfully addressing infertility and it’s psychosocial consequences in The Gambia.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Men and infertility in The Gambia: Limited biomedical knowledge and awareness discourage male involvement and exacerbate gender-based impacts of infertility

et al. 2021

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“…It was reported that women were held responsible in case of infertility and were mistreated by their mothers-in-law who wanted grandchildren [35]. Another study reported that women faced the pressure of their fathers-in-law in case of infertility and were exposed to criticism and insults [36].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Being An Infertile Woman in A Highly Fertile Region of Turkey: Stigmatisation and Coping Experiences

Kucuk

Koruk

2022

ELECTRON J GEN MED

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In many societies, women's status is determined by their fertility and motherhood, and having reproductive disorders creates additional problems for them. This study investigates the stigmatisation of infertile women and how they cope in a region with the highest fertility rate in Turkey. Methods:The sample population this descriptive study comprised of infertile women who applied to the infertility clinic of a university hospital in Sanliurfa. In the pilot study conducted with 19 participants, the stigmatisation score was calculated as 86.1 + 35.6. Based on these values, the sample size obtained was 136 with a margin of error of 6 and confidence level of 95%. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a data collection form, the Infertility Stigma Scale (ISS), and the COPE inventory (COPE). Findings:The mean Infertility Stigma Scale (ISS) total score of participants was found to be 87.6±27.9. Considering the maximum ISS score, it was determined that infertile women experienced a high level of stigmatisation. Findings obtained from the COPE inventory showed that participants mostly used problem-focused coping (59.8 ± 7.6) mechanisms to deal with stress due to infertility and preferred active coping, planning and disengagement. Conclusions:This study shows that socio-demographic and cultural factors affect the level of stigmatisation of infertile women, and the higher the level of stigma, the more difficult it is for infertile women to cope with stress due to infertility.

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“…In Turkey, for example, activists from patients' organisations have successfully lobbied for fertility care gaining traction with the government and instigating the formulation of a national infertility policy (Gerrits, 2012). Similarly, in The Gambia, infertility-related NGOs such as Safe Haven raises awareness through public walks and other campaigns, and groups of women with infertility, the Kanyaleng, support each other by providing a safe space to release infertility-related social pressure (Dierickx et al, 2019;Dierickx, 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Infertility in Central Africa is often referred to as "bareness amid plenty" signifying its presence in countries with otherwise high fertility rates (van Balen and Gerrits, 2001). The consequences of infertility can be overwhelming with an array of social, emotional and economic impacts and the burden afflicting couples, and in particular women, is severe (Okonofua et al, 1997;Dierickx et al, 2018;Serour et al, 2019;Dierickx, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Barriers and facilitators for the inclusion of fertility care in reproductive health policies in Africa: a qualitative evidence synthesis

Afferri

Allen

Dierickx

et al. 2021

Human Reproduction Update

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BACKGROUND Infertility affects over 50 million couples worldwide and impacts people’s social and emotional wellbeing. In low- and middle-income countries, particularly across Africa, the inclusion of fertility care into reproductive health (RH) policies remains fragmented or non-existent. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE This review aims to provide a framework for understanding the inclusion (or lack thereof) of fertility care in RH policies in African settings. It synthesizes the barriers and facilitators to such inclusion, with a view to uncovering the positioning of fertility care in broader health systems and on the agendas of key stakeholders such as health policymakers and practitioners. SEARCH METHODS A qualitative evidence synthesis was performed, systematically searching papers and grey literature. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science and Scopus between February and April 2020. No date restrictions were applied. Language was limited to publications written in English and French. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, and extracted data, applying thematic coding. The quality of the included papers was evaluated using The Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Text and Opinion Papers. OUTCOMES The search identified 744 papers, of which 20 were included. Findings were organized under four cross-cutting categories, namely: perceived importance of infertility; influence of policy context; resource availability and access; and perceived quality of care. Across these categories, key barriers to the inclusion of fertility care in RH policies were limited political commitment, under-recognition of the burden of infertility and high costs associated with ART. Conversely, facilitators comprised specialized training on infertility for healthcare providers, standard procedures for ART safety and guidelines and North–South/South–South collaborations. WIDER IMPLICATIONS The inclusion of fertility care in African RH policies depends upon factors that include the recognition of infertility as a disease, strong political engagement and proactivity and affordability of ART through opportunities for partnership with the private sector, which ease costs on the public health system. Further qualitative and quantitative research, including context-specific analysis and in-depth comparative approaches across diverse African countries, will help to delineate differential impacts of local and global factors on fertility care to address this neglected RH issue.

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‘With the kanyaleng and the help of god, you don’t feel ashamed’: women experiencing infertility in Casamance, Senegal

Cited by 9 publications

References 43 publications

Men and infertility in The Gambia: Limited biomedical knowledge and awareness discourage male involvement and exacerbate gender-based impacts of infertility

Men and infertility in The Gambia: Limited biomedical knowledge and awareness discourage male involvement and exacerbate gender-based impacts of infertility

Being An Infertile Woman in A Highly Fertile Region of Turkey: Stigmatisation and Coping Experiences

Barriers and facilitators for the inclusion of fertility care in reproductive health policies in Africa: a qualitative evidence synthesis

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