Stigmatization of Infertility Amongst Couples: A Case Study of Islamabad

Abstract

Infetiility is an important reproductive issue prevailing in the society because the production of offspring is necessary for the continuation of soc iety. In Pakistan, ferti lity is re lated to women and is considered an impotiant part of life. It is assumed that soon after the marriage a couple wi ll prove itself to be fr uitful. The present study was conducted to dea l with the various aspects of individua l's life which are affected by infertility. It highlighted the causes of infettility in males and fema les and what are the psychological and soc ial problems of infetiil e among the coupl e. Infettility is not a problem of a s ing le person rather it affects both partners and how infertility affects the re lationship of husband and wife was a lso studied. The basic aim of the study was to explore the stigmatization of infe rtility amongst infetiile couples in Islamabad. The study was conducted in a government hospital; Federal Government Po ly Clinic and in a private c linic; Mother-care, in Islamabad. Different methods like stratified sampling, interviews, observation etc. were used in order to collect the re levant data. The sample s ize cons isted of 20 male inferti le couples, 10 fema le primary inferti le couples and 10 female secondaty infertile couples, which in tota l makes the sample of 40 inferti le couples. The sample s ize was equa lly selected from both the locales of resea rch. There was a strong psycho logical di sturbance observed among the couples due to infett ility. Stigmat ization and its fear was the basic reason that caused damages in their life. All the infertile respondents had impacts of stigmatization because it was fou nd out that the ma le and female infertile couples who were educated and were from a strong social c lass were equally faci ng stigma than those who be longed to poor c lass and were less educated. Stigma and labe ling was observed among a ll the infert ile couples but the fema les were more express ive than males. Inferti lity threatened the indiv idua l to be labe led as incomplete, useless, barren and abnormal person, which caused lack of confidence, respect and loss of status in the soc iety. The social suppOli by the fam ily, friends and partners has however, played a v ita l ro le in dea ling with st igmat ization . Labeling individua ls in the society on the bas is of some factors caused discrimination and stigma among the married couples in both the rura l and urban soc ieties.