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The impact of perceived stigma and mediating social factors on infertility-related stress among women seeking infertility treatment in Southern Ghana

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  • Donkor, Ernestina S.
  • Sandall, Jane

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the extent to which women in Southern Ghana seeking infertility treatment perceived themselves as stigmatised in order to investigate the relationship between perceived stigma and infertility-related stress. A survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews in three languages with 615 women receiving infertility treatment on three health sites in Southern Ghana. The majority (64%) of women in this sample felt stigmatised. Sequential multiple regression analyses indicated that higher levels of perceived stigma were associated with increased infertility-related stress. Also women with higher levels of education felt less infertility-related stress. The presence of an existing child/children, the number of years spent in infertility treatment and the type of marriage (monogamous/polygamous union) were less important in predicting stress. The findings suggest that the social status of infertile women derived from other factors can be of importance in minimising the impact of stigmatisation and stress related to infertility. These findings highlight the wider beneficial effects of improved educational opportunities for girls and women.

Suggested Citation

  • Donkor, Ernestina S. & Sandall, Jane, 2007. "The impact of perceived stigma and mediating social factors on infertility-related stress among women seeking infertility treatment in Southern Ghana," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(8), pages 1683-1694, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:65:y:2007:i:8:p:1683-1694
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    1. Neff, Deborah L., 1994. "The social construction of infertility: The case of the matrilineal Nayars in South India," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 39(4), pages 475-485, August.
    2. Whiteford, Linda M. & Gonzalez, Lois, 1995. "Stigma: The hidden burden of infertility," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 27-36, January.
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    4. Bharadwaj, Aditya, 2003. "Why adoption is not an option in India: the visibility of infertility, the secrecy of donor insemination, and other cultural complexities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(9), pages 1867-1880, May.
    5. Green, Sara E., 2003. ""What do you mean 'what's wrong with her?'": stigma and the lives of families of children with disabilities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 57(8), pages 1361-1374, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bove, Riley M. & Vala-Haynes, Emily & Valeggia, Claudia R., 2012. "Women's health in urban Mali: Social predictors and health itineraries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(8), pages 1392-1399.
    2. Bove, Riley & Valeggia, Claudia, 2009. "Polygyny and women's health in sub-Saharan Africa," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 21-29, January.
    3. Jansen, Natalie Anne & Saint Onge, Jarron M., 2015. "An internet forum analysis of stigma power perceptions among women seeking fertility treatment in the United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 184-189.
    4. Jasmine Fledderjohann, 2017. "Difficulties Conceiving and Relationship Stability in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Ghana," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 33(1), pages 129-152, February.

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