Population decreases as infertility rises
Infertility rates are rising as Jamaica’s population declines significantly, posing a threat to the stability of the population. At a recent conference, Dr Kamali Caroll, lecturer and chief embryologist, Caribbean Fertility Centre,stated that a side effect of skin bleaching is reduced sperm count which lessens the chance of successful fertilisation of female eggs during intercourse for pregnancy. Caroll stated that there is an increase in infertility among Jamaican women as well. The rise in obesity and non-communicable diseases may also cause a rise in infertility. This is a serious issue that both men and women can seek treatment for through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and hormone therapy.
According to the 2021 Reproductive Health survey in Jamaica, women in 2021 had approximately 1.9 births in comparison to 4.5 births between 1973 and 1975. More women are using contraceptives to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and prevent pregnancies. Plus, with modern trends of the independent woman, family sizes have significantly decreased to only one or two children. Intentional pregnancies are also being postponed until later in life when they have finished their postsecondary education and professionally established themselves. By then, women are less fertile, thus reducing the possibility of live births.
This trend of decreased population sizes is also affecting countries globally. Countries like Japan, South Korea, China, Barbados, Russia and America have reported a significant decline in their birth rates within the last five years. Even on social media platforms like TikTok, the South Korean 4B feminist movement has gone viral as women in South Korea resist the patriarchy. They testify against the reduced respect women receive in the workplace for being mothers and the restrictive domestic gender roles in their society. As a result, these women have decided to refrain from having children and marrying to achieve gender equality in society. Women, globally, have gravitated towards this movement due to the large K-Pop fanbase worldwide.
However, there are other reasons why women, especially Jamaican women, may refrain from having children. One is the expense associated with raising a child, such as school fees, food, housing, university education and healthcare. Another element is women’s professional progress in Jamaica, where there are many single mothers and having children may mean that women have to sacrifice professional opportunities to care for their children. Hence, some women avoid this burden, and even those in marriages face similar challenges as the bulk of child raising is the mother’s responsibility.
Consequently, contraceptive usage and infertility have risen in Jamaica, and for Jamaican Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton this could have terrible consequences; he expresses this in news article in another electronic newspaper. “The nation’s declining birth rate could have an adverse impact on the development of various sectors of the country, including its labour force and overall competitiveness,” he admits.
