Perceptions and treatment-seeking experiences for infertility among women in rural South Ethiopia

Abstract

In Ethiopia, conventional fertility treatments are not readily available and are frequently costly. These obstacles might prompt women to seek other infertility treatment methods, including traditional healers, herbal solutions, and spiritual healing practices. Nevertheless, the actual experiences and viewpoints of women seeking these alternative treatments in Ethiopia have not been thoroughly examined. This qualitative research intends to address this gap by examining the ways in which women in rural South Ethiopia utilize traditional healers, prayer, and spiritual practices in their quest for conception. A community-based study was conducted within the Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance System (AM-HDSS) site, a defined demographic surveillance area. Purposive sampling was employed with the guidance of health extension workers. Data was gathered through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 19 women with infertility chosen purposively. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed utilizing reflective thematic analysis, as outlined by Braun and Clarke. Thematic analysis revealed two primary themes. The first, “Diverse Understandings and Perceptions of Infertility,” included three sub-themes: ‘Infertility is defined as not having children,’ ‘Infertility is caused by God,’ and ‘Gendered perceptions of infertility.’ The second theme, “Experience of Alternative Treatment Options,” encompassed women’s use of ‘Traditional healers,’ ‘Prayers and belief in God’s direct intervention,’ and seeking help for perceived ‘Traditional Spiritual Beliefs.’ This study shows that women’s encounters with alternative infertility treatments in rural Ethiopia are influenced by deeply embedded cultural and religious views that consider childlessness as a spiritual issue and a responsibility of women. Although these views add to gender-based stigma and highlight important disparities in access to medical care, they also shed light on the emotional and social roles of spiritual and religious practices. For numerous women, conventional healers, prayer, and spiritual methods offer hope, a feeling of control, and the ability to find meaning amid uncertainty—advantages that biomedical treatments by themselves might not provide. Dealing with infertility involves enhancing access to care based on evidence, as well as recognizing and valuing the comprehensive methods women use to manage childlessness.