Information School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
Afr J Reprod Health. 2022 Dec;26(12):49-57. doi: 10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i12.6.
Infertility is a reproductive problem that affects all gender, race, or social class. In many African countries, the burden of infertility is usually associated with economic, psychological, and socio-cultural factors. This review aimed to explore the factors that impact the mental health of African women with primary infertility. A qualitative evidence synthesis was used to summarise and analyse primary qualitative studies focused on the impact of primary infertility on African women. Seventeen studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. The review found that social pressure, stigma from family and community members, and financial constraints led to psychological distress. In addition, social stigma also led to marital problems which led to significant psychological distress and low self-worth, especially on the wife. Recommendations to reduce stigma among African infertile women were as follows: advocacy and community mobilisation, education by health professionals, and holistic person-centred care. An intersectional approach to inform public health and social policy was also suggested.
不孕不育是一个影响所有性别、种族或社会阶层的生殖问题。在许多非洲国家，不孕不育的负担通常与经济、心理和社会文化因素有关。本综述旨在探讨影响原发性不孕非洲妇女心理健康的因素。使用定性证据综合方法来总结和分析关注原发性不孕对非洲妇女影响的主要定性研究。有 17 项研究符合入选标准并被纳入综述。综述发现，社会压力、来自家庭成员和社区成员的污名化以及经济限制导致了心理困扰。此外，社会污名化还导致了婚姻问题，这导致了严重的心理困扰和低自尊，尤其是对妻子。减少非洲不孕妇女污名化的建议如下：倡导和社区动员、卫生专业人员的教育以及整体以人为本的关怀。还建议采取交叉方法为公共卫生和社会政策提供信息。
