Specifically, the idea is to make it easier for such couples to undergo infertility treatments in order to increase the total fertility rate.
However a program of support for infertile couples to resolve the problem of the declining birthrate is not without problems. In particular, when the government links a program to public population policy, it puts itself in the position of actively promoting of infertility treatments. This may strongly influence an individual’s decision as to whether or not to undertake such treatments.
There is strong social pressure in Japan against couples who are unable to bear children, and particularly against infertile women. Today, more and more people have respect for diverse lifestyles, and, at least on the surface, there seems to be less prejudice and discrimination than in the past against those without children. However, even today, the traditional Japanese idea of the family (ie) continues to aggravate the problem of infertility. Among the members of the Friends of Finrrage, there is much concern about whether the declining birthrate will not cause an increase in prejudice and discrimination against women who have not borne children. There is also concern that social pressure will make it difficult for women to discontinue infertility treatments even if they would personally rather do so.
Couples do not have children for the sake of their country. Whether in societies where the number of children continues to shrink, or in those where population control is necessary, people have children because they want them. No matter what type of society we live in, all of us have the same right to bear children. Governments should support infertility treatments for couples and women who desire children as a matter of respecting their reproductive rights. In that sense, support for infertility treatments as a means of countering the declining birthrate is not appropriate. However, without the declining birthrate, those of us in Japan might well receive no government support whatsoever for infertility treatments. That being the case, many people favor the new support system as being better than nothing. We will continue to search for a way to achieve public support for infertility treatments as a matter of reproductive rights, not population policy.
Yukari Semba
Friends of Finrrage
Network for Infertile Women in Japan
Email: YukariSem@aol.com
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