“Am I Masculine?” A metasynthesis of qualitative studies on traditional masculinity on infertility

Abstract

Background: The rate of infertility is increasing day by day. According to studies conducted worldwide, 30 million men are diagnosed with infertility. Cases of infertility are often associated with a failure to become male in society. Procreation and gender roles are often closely linked so that infertile men are often considered the second sex. Sometimes, this condition makes men question their masculinity. Methods: We performed a systematic review and metasynthesis with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline procedure on qualitative studies on ten databases exploring the experience of infertile men and their association with masculinity. Results: Twenty-four studies matched our question, and there are two major themes with eight subthemes that were obtained from the results of the metasynthesis of these studies. The impact of this gender issue is huge on men’s health and their social interactions. As a result, gender issues provide a space for debate and a burden on men. Sometimes, men develop mental health problems. The topic of masculinity and infertility is at odds with feminism and is susceptible to the societal stigma that results from the hegemonic conception of masculinity. Interestingly, the men must accept reality and follow the treatment process for infertility, although it affects their psychological well-being. Conclusions: These findings provide insight for physicians, as treating infertility requires a multidisciplinary team that does not only address procreation issues. Social issues related to gender roles often bring patients into harmful and dangerous conditions. To address the gender issue in men globally in several dimensions, however, a large study in various populations is still required.

Men’s experiences of infertility: A metaethnographic systematic review.

“…While this was not the intention of this review, the metatheme "Crippling social pressure" was voiced by men across all included studies, which is interesting as none of the articles' primary aim was to explore masculinity. Although this is not the first time the notion of masculinity in male infertility has been discussed in the literature (Bell, 2016;Pakpahan et al, 2023;Throsby & Gill, 2004), it is among the first to capture men's experiences in relation to infertility, of which the power of masculine norms and societal expectations was prominent. Thus, there is now an understanding that males feel oppressed by their masculine status and "feel less of a man" (Arya & Dibb, 2016, p. 244) when living with infertility.…”

“…Thus, there has been a more thoughtful inclusion of men into reproductive research (Hinton & Miller, 2013), which challenges the norm that men are unable to identify their emotions (Fischer & Good, 1997) and do not want to talk (Arya & Dibb, 2016). Consequently, such methods have created the emotional space men very much need, but lack (Seidler, 2007), likely due to the social expectations and masculine norms embedded within society (Pakpahan et al, 2023).…”

“…Research has shown that experiences of infertility vary by race and class (Bell, 2014), and the intersection of masculinity too complicates the picture as masculine norms vary by culture (Pakpahan et al, 2023; Tager & Good, 2005). While this review included studies with samples of different ethnic backgrounds, there was not enough ethnic variability within the sample to make generalizable claims about the experience of infertility (and potential impact on masculinity) to represent different cultures and ethnic groups.…”

Psychosocial Impact of Infertility Diagnosis and Conformity to Gender Norms on the Quality of Life of Infertile Spanish Couples

“…Consequently, it is not surprising that infertility and its diagnosis can have a different impact on men and women. Sex and gender influence the diagnosis, course, treatment, and outcomes of many illnesses, as well as the access to and acceptability of psychosocial and health care [27,28]. To measure any of these aspects, both concepts-sex and gender-must be clearly defined.…”

Exploring men's struggles with infertility: A qualitative content analysis

“…Organizations providing reproductive health services found that cultural norms often pressure infertile men socially and psychologically (Pakpahan et al., 2023). For instance, in some traditional societies, such as Iran, women are expected to bear children, while men are responsible for carrying on the family line.…”