The agony of Infertility : A social burden

Procreation is the strongest instinct from the animal kingdom and a desire to have a baby is the most natural & exciting thing in the world. Failure to conceive and bear a child is hence a very depressing situation for couples. When couples begin to plan, it all starts with going off the birth control, try for a few months and then worry and concern sets in. By the time, the woman meets an infertility specialist, she is already pretty anxiety and on the verge of depression! While for most couples, simple medical treatments work and they do conceive, for a few more the treatment may be complicated, expensive and an exhausting affair.

Rough estimates from 2010 suggest that there are over 30 million infertile couples in India. The number has been on the rise ever since and the incidence rate of infertile couples in now pegged at 10%. In at least 30% of the cases, the male is the affected partner. Even while this is the true scenario, the social burden of a couple’s failure to bear a child falls disproportionately and devastatingly on the woman.

Women who are unable to conceive truly believe that their life has no purpose and hope. The social burden is extreme and women in our country suffer discrimination, stigma and ostracism. They are barred from social gatherings and rituals. It does not help that men and women tend to react to infertility differently. In addition, it can have a big impact on sex life and negatively impact relationships with friends and family, finances, and even religious/spiritual beliefs. Thus it is no surprise that almost half of infertility patients report high levels of depression/anxiety prior even to their first doctor’s visit.

For many infertile women, particularly those with problems such as blocked or damaged fallopian tubes where surgical tubal repair is either not successful or not advisable, in vitro fertilization (IVF/test tube baby) can help. Unfortunately for most women in developing countries, infertility services are not widely available and IVF is unaffordable. And then there are those underprivileged where IVF is unheard of!

Tearfulness, not looking forward to life, issues with sleeping & eating, not enjoying previously cherished hobbies, irritability are all indications of depression. It is important for couples to understand that depression during infertility is completely normal and requires medical help. It is also important to remember that women who are depressed might opt out of treatment and limit their chance of conceiving. In addition, women undergoing depression also have lower chances of conceiving even with IVF since their stress hormones are thrown out of gear. Hence medical treatment becomes absolutely imperative.

Infertility prevention and care rank very low on the public health agenda in our country, which is also facing a population pressure. There are no definitive government led schemes for couples who cannot afford infertility treatments. To truly fight this social stigma in India, awareness programs integrated with financial aid and counseling support is the need of the hour. For most women in India, Infertility is an incredibly lonely journey. A mind- set change may take decades but we need to take baby steps towards bringing a societal change.

With over 3 decades of experience, we at Gynaecworld completely understand a woman’s world and are here to look after the medical hurdles that come your way. You are the center of all our efforts!!!

Book your appointment today at Gynaecworld, Kemps corner, Mumbai
Call: 02223802584
Email: gynaecworldfertility@gmail.com , gynaecworldservices@gmail.com
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