Infertile Couples' Needs after Unsuccessful Fertility Treatment: a Qualitative Study

Abstract

Introduction: Infertility is a major medical issue. Investigations and treatment of infertility are the beginning of a complex, time-consuming and stressful process for couples that may fail well. The present study explored the needs of infertile couples following treatment failure with Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs). Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted in an Iranian infertility center, in the Northeast of the country between April 2016 and June 2017. The researchers recruited 29 individuals including 9 couples, 9 women and two men with primary infertility through purposive sampling. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed iteratively, using conventional content analysis with MAXQDA software. Results: The main concepts obtained from the data were classified into one theme titled: ""The need for support"" and four main categories along with their subcategories, and included the need for psychological support, the need for more useful information, the need for social support and the need to access to supplementary services. Conclusion: The findings show that following treatment failure, the infertile patients’ expressed needs and preferences were not met. Identifying and meeting their needs may help the infertile couples to deal with ARTs failure and to reach a decision about future treatment.

Effect of Hope-oriented group counseling on mental health of infertile women with failed IVF cycles: a randomized controlled trial

“…The authors concluded that low response to treatment indicates that couples need no group counseling and psychotherapeutic treatment in the first IVF cycle. By contrast, this result was not consistent with the findings of Zarghami et al [ 49 ], Yeylagh Beigi et al [ 8 ], Likhachov et al [ 50 ], and Joelsson et al [ 51 ]. These contradictory results can be attributed to the difference in sample size and measurement tools.…”

Complementary and alternative medicine use in infertility

“…(2019a, 2019b). [ 25 26 ] The only difference between the needs found in the current study was the needs which was specific for the CAM consumption in infertile women including the needs to “integration of CAM with conventional medicine in treatment of infertility” and “the need for CAM use counseling”. Educational and informational needs were also mentioned in previous studies.…”

“…Consistent with the findings of the current study, the need for psychological counseling about infertile women is an important issue, which has been addressed in studies of Ebrahimzadeh Zagami et al . (2019a, 2019b),[ 25 26 ] Latifnejad Roudsari (2017),[ 59 ] Taghipour et al . (2020),[ 60 ] Hosseinpanahi et al .…”

“…However, there is often a gap between what women expect to receive from their infertility health-care team and the level of services provided by health-care professionals. [ 25 26 ]…”

Iranian infertile couples' strategies to manage social interactions after unsuccessful treatment with assisted reproductive technologies

“…Internationally, when infertility treatment fails, the blame may be mainly on women (Tabong & Adongo, 2013) and infertile women may experience negative social interactions such as insensitive remarks and inappropriate support from friends and family (Akizuki & Kai, 2008). In Iran, the patriarchal culture of the society also shifts the blame onto women in cases of infertility treatment failure, however, at the same time, by shifting it away from men, it ignores women's distress and emotional reactions to unsuccessful treatment (Ebrahimzadeh et al, 2019b).…”