KNOWLEDGE OF INFERTILITY AND CULTURAL PERCEPTION

ABSTRACT

Infertility is an ailment characterized by the failure to establish a clinical pregnancy after 12 months of consistent and unprotected sexual intercourse. This study was carried out to assess the cultural perspective on the causes and management of infertility amongst indigenes of Egor Local government area, Edo state. Descriptive survey research was employed in this study and a multi-stage sampling technique was used with a sample size of 257. Data was collected using a well structured questionnaire which had a reliability of 0.79 . Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentage and means were used to analyze the data obtained. Data collected was analyzed statistically using chi-square. Findings revealed that respondent have a low level of knowledge of the causes of infertility. It also revealed that respondent have a negative cultural perception of the causes of infertility which revealed that infertility was perceived majorly as destiny/ supernatural powers (17.1%), threat to men’s pro creativity (14.3%), women’s problem only(15.6%). Findings further revealed that the use of IVF treatment was low with misconception that it is too costly (15.4%) unnatural (7.6%). Hypothesis showed that there is a significant relationship between knowledge of infertility and cultural perspective of the causes amongst men and women of Egor local government area.This study concluded that advances in public health programs to address the widespread negative impact of social discrimination have been comparatively slow and unsystematic. The negative effect of discrimination and stigma is all encompassing involving the individuals affected, their relatives, friends, immediate community, and also has impact on the assessment of health facilities by the affected.