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Infertility: Why Africa is a state of 'bareness amid plenty'

Lady clutching her stomach
Photo:Courtesy

In many cultures, childless women suffer discrimination, stigma and ostracism. For example, Ann, my client was banned from attending her father-in-law's funeral.

Kenya is one of the countries in the "African infertility belt" that stretches across central Africa from the United Republic of Tanzania to the East to Gabon to the West. In this region, a phenomenon described as "barrenness amid plenty" refers to the fact that infertility is often most prevalent where fertility rates are also high.

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