Social and cultural aspects of infertility in Mozambique
Gerrits, T.
Patient Education and Counseling 31(1): 39-48
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0738-3991 PMID: 9197801 DOI: 10.1016/s0738-3991(97)01018-5Document Number: 268725
The experiences, perceptions, and problems of infertile Macua women in Montepeuz, Mozambique, were investigated in an anthropological field study conducted in 1993. Respondents included 34 women considered infertile (unable to achieve a desired pregnancy, for whatever reason, including husband's biomedical condition), 6 "cured" women (have resolved a former inability to become pregnant), 10 fertile women (never had a fertility problem), a range of traditional healers, female advisors in initiation rites and pregnancy ceremonies, members of the popular tribunal, a group of elderly men, and a hospital doctor and nurse. Since the Macua have a matrilineal kinship system, having children is critical to social and economic survival. Women who have never been pregnant are excluded from cultural ceremonies and face concerns about who will care for them. At the time of interview, the infertile women had been unsuccessfully attempting pregnancy for a period of 6 months to 10 years. All women had sought help from traditional healers, primarily herbalists. About half had consulted a hospital physician, but failed to understand the medical explanations provided. Women tended to attribute their infertility to personalistic causes such as possession by spirits or witchcraft. Extramarital sexual relations and child fostering represented alternative non-medical responses to infertility. Overall, these findings confirm that the way women experience their infertility is closely related to the social and cultural context. Preventive interventions, especially those focused on sexually transmitted diseases, are likely to have more of an impact on infertility in this culture than are curative ones.