Why a Japanese manga magazine covers male infertility

From April 2022, the Japanese government has finally started to provide insurance coverage for fertility treatment including in vitro fertilization (IVF), at less than one-third of the previous cost. Numerous couples have awaited fertility treatment to be covered by public health insurance, and Japan is now about to take a step toward becoming a developed country in the field of reproductive medicine. However, not many people know about infertility, especially male infertility.

One in five couples undergo fertility treatment

While many people still believe infertility to be a women’s problem, a doctor of ObGyn says that the initial test of the reproductive system shows that about half of the cases are caused by male infertility. According to a 2021 survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Walfare’s research, 22.7% of married couples have experienced fertility treatment, the highest number ever in Japan.

A manga to shatter male infertility stigma among men

“Both men and women can have problems that cause infertility. Men also should be aware of this fact.” From this thought, an editor of a male comic magazine has decided to serialize a manga “Hai baiyōshi – Mizuiro (Light Blue Embryologist)” by Mari Okazaki, a manga about fertility treatment.

The main character is an embryologist, a specialist who fertilizes sperm and eggs with his own hands and guides them to life. Set in a fertility clinic, the manga depicts the struggles and joys of those in the field of fertility treatment through various problems such as male infertility and elderly childbirth. It’s already received good reactions from male audiences who had no idea that men might cause infertility until they read the manga.

The movie balances fertility treatment realities with humor

The film “Hikita-san Gokainin Desuyo (Mr. Hikita, I Am Knocked Up),” another work to raise awareness of fertility treatment, is also well supported by mostly women who have experienced the treatment. It is a story about an age-gap couple who want a baby. They discover that a 49-year-old husband, Mr. Hikita, is a cause of infertility, and decide to start fertility treatment.

It’s a narrative from a male perspective, and Mr. Hikita’s struggle to accept that his advancing age might be contributing to his sperm’s decreased quality sheds light on the limited awareness many men have about infertility. The work also depicts the reality that no matter how hard they try and how much money they pay, it’s really hard to reap the rewards.

What we can do in this era of declining birthrate

Why is it that access to information about pregnancy and childbirth is still so limited, especially for men who do not undergo regular reproductive organ checkups, even though the birthrate is declining? All of the processes from having sex to getting pregnant and raising a child cannot be done alone. Both women and men should be aware of the fact that a cause of infertility might be both of them and that it isn’t uncommon to receive fertility treatment. I hope this realization will alleviate some stress for those who undergo the treatment.