By Never G. Lomo,garmahlomo@gmail.com
Gbartala,
Liberia – Women experiencing infertility
in Gbartala and Zeansue, Bong County want the speedy intervention of Liberia’s
first lady Madam Clar Marie Weah in finding solutions to their multiple
infertility problems in this central Liberian County.
According to the women in Bong County, the issue
of infertility is leading them slowly to their grave due to stigmatization.
The Bong County women and men during the
infertility awareness told this paper that they are very much disappointed in
the manner which they have stigmatized by both community dwellers, family
members and boyfriends/ husbands’ relatives.
The women and men facing infertility problems
said in their respective communities, whenever they and someone having
confusion, people will not focus discussion on the situation at hand, but
rather their infertile condition will be the top during the confusion. This, they said makes them to cry bitterly.
Because of their infertile situation, some of
them said they are just being categorized as female but men are not willing to
stay with them.
They added that their
infertile conditions have become the talk of the town, something that sometimes
make them feel suicidal. But they are often being discouraged from going such a
path by their parents and churches.
During a face-to-face interaction with some of
them both Gbartala and Zeansue, Bong County, they painstakingly told their respective
stories.
artu Kolleh, an 33-year-old
woman with infertility problem said she got pregnant in 2005 and her pregnancy
was overdue. She gave birth to a dead child, after which she started
experiencing swollen stomach and was later operated due to that condition.
She narrated that since 2005 after her operation
she has never experienced pregnancy because of that all those she was in
relationship with left her. Even her current boyfriend makes constant confusion
with her due to her infertile condition.
She added that most often, community members, relatives
of her boyfriend throw hints at her, telling her that she is “only suffering
behind their son but he will not keep and wearing clothes is her owner child.”
Another woman experiencing infertility
identified as Annie Fahn, age 31 during a one to one discussion disclosed that
from the day of her birth by her parents she has never experienced what they
called pregnancy.
Narrating her frustration in tears, she said she
has been to most hospital for her infertility problem but she was told that it
is infection which she has taken all forms of anti-biotic including country herbs
but to no avail.
She stated that all her relationships have
cracked down due to her infertile condition adding that her last relationship
held before leaving family member pressurized him to leave her, adding that the
issue of stigmatization is the order of the day.
Another infertile woman, age 27 explained that
she conceived 2008 and her child is currently alive. She has been taking family
planning treatment, but she said since given birth in 2008, she has never
experienced pregnancy.
She explained that she did ”D& C” and since
them no pregnancy has tried her yet and she is greatly in worry about
stigmatization in her community.
Explaining further, another infertile woman
known as Mamie Damyers, age 43 said she has never experienced any pregnancy. After
going to several hospitals and doing laboratory test, she was told that it was
infection. Later, she was told that it was fibroid and she was operated on. But
since then, she hardly sees her mentrual period.
Furthermore, she explained that this condition
of infertility caused her husband to leave her for another woman, because she
can’t bear a children.
She said because of the high level of
stigmatization, she sometimes feel sorry for herself and cries over her
condition.