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
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
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,