Exploring opinions and facts about infertility (Den sôrô baliya)

Hello everyone, and welcome to Radio Jamana de Koutiala, frequency 102.6, from Hamdallaye Koutiala. You’re listening to the Ladili Bulon program, presented by Maïmouna Ouattara, known as Mouna, and David Coulibaly, and produced by Moussa Koné. Ladili Bulon is broadcast every Tuesday from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m., with a repeat broadcast every Sunday at 7:00 p.m. The program lasts 30 minutes.

Today’s topic is “Infertility (Den sôrô baliya)”. This edition is the 13^th and last in the 4^th series of the Hèrè project. The aim of this program is to enable partners to discuss the causes of infertility within the couple.

To discuss this topic, we are pleased to welcome Mrs. Fatoumata Coulibaly, midwife at the Hamdallaye Community Health Center in Koutiala. Hello Fatoumata!

Later we go live with our our guest, Fatoumata Coulibaly, who will give us more details on today’s topic. She will be preceded by a narrative interview with a woman who prefers to remain anonymous and who lives in the Hamdallaye district. This woman has experienced infertility problems at home, which she says are related to her husband. After almost 10 years of marriage, she finally had children thanks to the treatment she received at the health center, with her husband’s cooperation.

Before airing the full report, we present a vox pop in which residents of the Hamdallaye neighborhood share their views on why women are still often considered to be the main cause of infertility in couples.

But first, we’d like to share with you the reactions of some listeners to our questions of the week, which were announced as part of last week’s program :

Question no.1 : Does infertility affect :

1. only women
2. only men
3. both

Question no. 2 :

Why is the woman always considered the cause of infertility in a couple?

You called the radio to express yourself.

This program is funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Marie Stopes International – Mali, Wildaf, and Farm Radio International, in partnership with Radio Jamana de Koutiala.

MUSICAL INTERLUDE

We begin today’s theme with our survey. Here are a few ideas from our listeners.

We asked, does infertility only affect women? Only men? Or both? About 80% say infertility affects both – which is correct.

We also asked : Why is the woman still perceived as the main cause of infertility in a couple? Among the speakers, we’ll let you listen to some audio excerpts…

You have heard from the following listeners : ____________

Some people believe that infertility affects mainly women.

Others believe that it affects both partners, but that traditionally, if the man is not sexually impotent, the blame is placed on the woman. So the woman is often the one to blame.

It was also pointed out that the woman is blamed because the man, as head of the family, has more power, and the woman is perceived as the weak link in the couple. Speakers said that men are often reluctant to undergo medical tests for fear of shame, so the blame is generally placed on the woman.

Instead of seeking solutions on both sides (woman and man) through medical tests, the man and his family, especially in-laws, blame the woman. Causes cited include the man’s sexual impotence and certain diseases such as STDs/STIs in both partners.

Workers advise couples in this situation to go to the health center as soon as they notice a prolonged absence of pregnancy.

Today, our vox poptakes us to Koutiala’s Hamdallaye district, the largest in the city. This district is also home to the first public high school in the Koutiala Circle, the Lycée Koné Danzié, as well as the meteorological service, the roads subdivision, and the largest water tower of the Société Malienne de Gestion de l’Eau Potable. Fodé Diawara is its chief, and the neighborhood is also home to a community listening group.

In this vox pop, residents will share their opinions on women are often considered as the main cause of infertility in couples. This vox pop was conducted on Monday, March 18, 2024. Let’s hear what they have to say.

In the vox pop we just heard, several reasons were given to explain why the woman is often considered as the main cause of infertility in a couple.

First of all, it is mentioned that the woman is traditionally associated with the family and the conception of children. It is she who carries the child during pregnancy and gives birth, leading to the perception that infertility is her sole responsibility, even though the problem may affect both partners. In addition, women often use contraceptives and other products to avoid early pregnancy and misuse of these products can harm their reproductive health when they want to have children.

It is also emphasized that fertility problems can affect both men and women, and that signs of infertility can occur in both partners. On a psychological level, depression can also contribute to infertility in women.

We’re staying in Hamdallaye for our report. We meet a woman who has experienced infertility during almost 10 years of marriage. Thanks to mutual understanding with her husband, and after consulting a health center, the couple now has three children. The woman prefers to remain anonymous, but explains that the problem was on her husband’s side.

In her testimony, she said :

“After 10 years of a childless marriage, I tried traditional treatments, without success. I had to spend a lot of money and many of my possessions, and there was a lot of tension in the household. My husband was often distant and I faced pressure from my in-laws. Loneliness became my daily reality, and my husband’s family even pushed me towards divorce. Fortunately, my husband and I decided to seek professional help. We discovered that the problem was with him, and after treatment, we had our first child nine years later, then two more two years apart. I would advise any couple facing such difficulty to go to the health center for proper treatment.”

Our anonymous caller said she went through almost 10 years of childless marriage and invested a lot of money, including gold and clothes, to solve the problem. She faced conflicts in her marriage and with her mother-in-law, who even wanted her to divorce.

When she finally turned to the health services, she discovered that the infertility was caused by her husband. Today, after nine years, the couple have had their first child, followed by two more two years apart. She urges any couple in a similar situation to go to the health center for prompt treatment.

We’d like to thank our speaker for sharing her thoughts with us.

We now turn to the topic of the day with our guest, Mrs. Fatoumata Coulibaly, midwife at the Hamdallaye Community Health Center, who is with us in the studio. Thank you for accepting our invitation. Tell us, what is infertility?

 

Infertility in a couple is characterized by the absence of pregnancy after 12 to 24 months of regular and complete sexual intercourse (two to three times a week) without recourse to contraception.

What are the causes of infertility?

Before answering, Aunt Mouna, it’s important to point out that infertility can be caused by a female problem, in one third of the cases, to a male problem in another third, and to a mixed problem involving both partners in the last third. Possible causes of infertility include certain poorly-treated sexually transmitted diseases or infections, early menopause, repeated abortions, and widespread self-medication. In addition, smoking can lead to premature ovarian failure in women and impair sperm quality in men, while excessive alcohol consumption can also affect the fertility of both partners.

What are the symptoms of infertility?

In women, the symptoms of infertility may include irregular menstrual cycles, abnormal and painful periods, or even the absence of periods. In men, infertility can be diagnosed only after medical tests have been performed. This often contributes to the woman being blamed to a greater extent. The most common causes of male infertility diagnosed after analysis are oligospermia and oligo-astheno-teratospermia. Oligospermia is characterized by a decrease in sperm count and motility, and a high frequency of abnormal sperm forms. Azoospermia, on the other hand, is the absence of spermatozoa in the semen, resulting from two specific abnormalities.

What are the social and economic consequences of infertility?

: Thank you for your question. The consequences of infertility are numerous and affect social, economic and physical aspects. Socially, infertility often leads to stigmatization, especially of the woman, by her husband, in-laws and the community. It can also lead to depression, social exclusion, marital conflict and even divorce. In terms of economic consequences, infertility can lead to the impoverishment of the couple, especially the woman, who may go so far as to sell her possessions to improve her social situation and repair her image in the eyes of her husband, in-laws and the community, since she is usually the only one stigmatized.

Why is the woman always considered the cause of infertility in a couple?

In our society, the woman is often perceived as the weak link, which sometimes leads the man, even if he’s aware that the problem comes from him, to blame the woman out of shame or ego. David, many men mistakenly believe that their ability to satisfy their partner in bed means they don’t have fertility problems, when in fact this has nothing to do with sperm quality. What’s more, some people refuse to undergo medical testing, even though it is the only way to diagnose infertility. Unfortunately, women are often the only ones to be blamed for infertility problems, which is truly unfortunate.

What are the solutions?

It’s very important to raise awareness and encourage both men and women to visit the health centers. It’s particularly important to encourage men to go to the health center when there’s infertility in the couple, because they often think they’re exempt from problems and automatically put the blame on the woman. It is also essential to provide psychological support for women, who are often marginalized and stigmatized. In addition, to combat this persistent stereotype in our society, the State should step up awareness campaigns through the mass media to remind people that infertility also affects men, even if they are sexually efficient.

: And what about care?

When it comes to managing infertility within a couple, it’s crucial that both partners go to the nearest health center as soon as the first symptoms appear. In this way, the problem can be diagnosed and treated together and effectively.

What role should in-laws play in the event of infertility in a couple?

The in-laws must support the daughter-in-law, because the infertility problem can also come from the husband. Mothers-in-law also have daughters and they don’t want them to be marginalized or mistreated. They should support and encourage the couple, taking care of the daughter-in-law in particular so as not to stress her further, because stress can also affect fertility.

Thank you very much, Mrs. Coulibaly, for taking part in our program. We learned a lot about a sensitive subject.

Thank you.

For those who would like to participate in the live broadcast, ask questions to the expert who is with us in this studio, or provide additional information, the telephone at Radio Jamana in Koutiala is now open. It’s _______

And a reminder that you can call in during the week to react to the topic of our next program : ___________.

We’ve reached the end of this program. A reminder of what we’ve learned :

Our interviewee, who wished to remain anonymous, recounts 10 years of childless marriage. After unsuccessful traditional treatments, she finally turned to health facilities, where she learned that infertility could also affect men. Tests revealed that the problem was with her husband. Nine years later, the couple welcomed their first child and now they have three. She encourages anyone in a similar situation to consult a health center as soon as possible.

Fatoumata Coulibaly points out that infertility affects both men and women. It is defined as the absence of pregnancy after one year of regular sexual intercourse. Among the causes, she cites hormonal disorders, sexually transmitted diseases or infections, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, which can lead to complications if left untreated, as well as impotence in men. Socially, infertile women are often stigmatized and ostracized. She stresses the importance of honest communication between partners, family support and medical advice.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to listen.