Infertility Problem In Canada

Infertility is a growing women’s health issue in Canada. In 1984 5.4% of Canadian couples reported fertility problems, by 2010 that number had increased to 16% (Bushnik, Cook, Yuzpe, Tough, & Collins, 2012). Today infertility is defined using the biomedical definition which classifies infertility as “a disease of the reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse.” (World Health Organization, 2017). In the past a women’s age has factored heavily into the diagnosis of infertility, this appears to be changing. In 1984, the infertility rate of females aged 18 to 29 years was 4.9%; by 2010 the rate for this age group was found to be 13.7%. (Bushnik et
al., 2012) The National Infertility Association states that approximately 44% of women diagnosed with infertile will seek medical treatment, and of those 65% give birth. (The National Infertility Association, 2017) In 2006 the number of fertility clinics in Canada was 25, today there are over 51 clinics in Ontario. (Fertility Services, 2017) In October 2015 the Ontario’s Minister of Health and Long-Term Care announced that it would begin funding one cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF) per eligible patient, and would only fund 5,000 treatments per year. This cap on the number of funded treatments each year has resulted in a 2 year waiting list for women seeking infertility treatments. The cost associated with treatments can range from $9,200 to $23,000, and fertility medications can cost from $1,000 to $5,000 per cycle; the costs of medications are not covered under the government of Ontario’s plan. (Fertility Services, 2017). In pronatalist western societies such as Canada, a diagnosis of infertility comes attached with social and cultural stigmas, as it is considered a social norm for all couples to have children.

Problem Statement While completing a review of literature on the topic of infertility I came across a research article published in the Medical Anthropology Quarterly titled “Trying” Times, which discussed the medicalization of infertility. The researchers referred to those women seeking treatment as “helpseekers” and described them as women who made the decision to seek treatment voluntarily. By the end of the paper I was really wondering if the women’s decision was truly voluntary, which lead to the development of my problem statement. The problem is that the decision to seek infertility treatment may not truly be a voluntary decision. There are many factors that effect and influence a women’s decision whether or not to seek treatment such as stigma, access and the medicalization of infertility.
Metaphorically Representation of the Issue The image I selected is that of a young women sitting on a swing in an empty playground (Appendix I).
My initial reaction to this photo was that it elicits a feeling of sadness, which I would imagine would accompany the diagnosis of infertility. The longer I looked at this photo I realized that within the photo there were several individual images that are representative of the many issues women face when they have been diagnosed as infertile. The photo is taken on a warm day, typical a time where a playground would be filled with children. The women is alone, with her head hanging low, this image evokes feelings of sadness and loneliness, feelings that are commonly associated with infertility. If you look at her clothing this women appears to be younger as she is wearing pink sneakers. This image reflects the fact that infertility is longer just an issue for those in their late 30s and 40s; it is starting to effect younger generations of women as well. The empty playground is a visual representation of the isolation and loneliness women must feel when dealing with infertility. The swing next to the women is also empty and is representative of the fact that the woman is childless or unable to have children. All of these images in the picture intersect to present a visual image of what it must be like to face infertility as a woman in
Canada.
Theoretical Framework Intersectionality is the framework that inspired me to select this image.
I feel that this photo depicts what it is like to be an infertile woman trying to interact with your fertile peers, your partner, family and society. Intersectionality is a theoretical framework that allows for a multi-level analyses, it looks beyond just single classifications such as race, gender, religion, and socio-economic status (SES) and examines how different factors and social dynamics interact and play a role in people’s lives. I believe intersectionality is an appropriate framework to address the issues associated with infertility as it “promotes an understanding of human beings as shaped by the interaction of different social locations” (Hankivsky,
2014) Using this framework will allow me to explore and examine how multiple factors such as age, SES, access, health, culture, religion, and race impact and influence a women’s decision to seek treatment for infertility. As Canada is a very diverse country it is import to examine the role of culture and religion in the decision. It is also imperative to look at the issue of access to treatments, and how access is related to SES and how influences the decision to seek or not seek treatment. The concept of medialization in women’s health will also be examined as infertility is presented as disease, and does its presentation as a disease play a role in the decision to seek treatment.