INFERTILITY IN THE GAMBIA - FREQUENCY AND HEALTH-CARE SEEKING

In order to understand the problems of undesired infertility in the Ga mbia, where the desire for children and fertility is very high, a popu lation based estimate of the frequency of sub-/infertility was underta ken. A survey was used in a representative random sample of the popula tion. The study included an assessment of health care available for in fertile couples in the different types and levels of the formal and tr aditional health system. Primary sterility was found to be fairly unco mmon (3%), and secondary infertility to be more frequent (6%). Half of the infertile couples failed to seek formal health care, and they had to reach a certain level of care in order to be properly managed. As investigations are very basic and treatment possibilities scarce, many forms of alternative care are often sought. In addressing reproductiv e health in developing countries, a systematic primary health care app roach to infertility in rural areas with limited resources should be d eveloped. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.