Dissemin is shutting down on January 1st, 2025

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Elsevier, Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 2(26), p. 189-195

DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2012.11.009

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Infertility in resource-constrained settings: Moving towards amelioration

Journal article published in 2012 by Karin Hammarberg, Maggie Kirkman ORCID
This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

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Abstract

It is often presumed that infertility is not a problem in resource-poor areas where fertility rates are high. This is challenged by consistent evidence that the consequences of childlessness are very severe in low-income countries, particularly for women. In these settings, childless women are frequently stigmatized, isolated, ostracized, disinherited and neglected by the family and local community. This may result in physical and psychological abuse, polygamy and even suicide. Attitudes among people in high-income countries towards provision of infertility care in low-income countries have mostly been either dismissive or indifferent as it is argued that scarce healthcare resources should be directed towards reducing fertility and restricting population growth. However, recognition of the plight of infertile couples in low-income settings is growing. One of the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals was for universal access to reproductive health care by 2015, and WHO has recommended that infertility be considered a global health problem and stated the need for adaptation of assisted reproductive technology in low-resource countries. This paper challenges the construct that infertility is not a serious problem in resource-constrained settings and argues that there is a need for infertility care, including affordable assisted reproduction treatment, in these settings. RBMOnline