How can infertility affect couples and families in Pakistan?
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Direct answer
Infertility can bring grief, repeated medical costs, blame and pressure from relatives. WHO estimates that about one in six adults worldwide experiences infertility during life, but this is not a Pakistan-specific rate. Qualitative research in Punjab found a sharply gendered burden: women described stigma, exclusion and abuse, while men generally faced less severe social consequences. Infertility may involve either partner, so blaming a woman before medical assessment is both inaccurate and harmful. Couples benefit from confidential evaluation, shared decision-making and firm boundaries around family disclosure.
1 in 6WHO global lifetime estimate, not a Pakistan-specific rate
Sources used
Infertility Prevalence Estimates, 1990–2021
World Health Organization
WHO evidence that about 17.5% of adults experience infertility during their lifetime; this is a global, not Pakistan-specific, estimate.View sourceGendered experiences of infertility in Punjab, Pakistan
Culture, Health & Sexuality, indexed by PubMed
Qualitative Punjab research documenting stigma, exclusion and unequal burdens experienced by women and men facing infertility.View source