Anxieties of Reproduction: Narratives of Infertility in Sierra Leonean Films

Ashwini Shridhar, University of Minnesota

Children, and therefore fertility, are integral to the construction of the ideal family in Sierra Leone. The inability to bear children has tremendous social and psychological consequences for individuals and families in this context. West African reproductive health policies largely ignore the stigmatizing issue of infertility as the region is traditionally framed as having sustained patterns of high fertility. Infertility also receives scant attention in population research and policymaking, with difficulties estimating the prevalence, causes, and coping strategies. So far, there are no government initiatives to provide assisted reproductive technologies and treatments. However, the topic of infertility arises in popular media, including in Sierra Leone’s fledgling film industry, offering an opportunity to explore the complex and sensitive topic, and fill the gaps left by traditional demographic research. In this project, I ask: How is infertility viewed and dealt with in Sierra Leonean narrative films? I analyze the content of relevant films that feature infertility as a plot point and conduct interviews and focus groups with the filmmakers and viewers of the films I analyze. This novel approach to infertility research provides an opportunity to understand Sierra Leonean narratives of infertility and demonstrate the utility of non-traditional data in population research.

Keywords: Qualitative data/methods/approaches, Fertility, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

See extended abstract.