Lived experience of infertility and in vitro fertilisation treatment

Tome, Marianne; Zwahlen, Evelyn

doi:10.31128/ajgp-09-22-6566

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 18 publications

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“…While infertility and discomfortable infertility treatments such as ICSI can lead to depression [ 26 ], isolation [ 26 , 27 ], and hopelessness [ 26 , 28 ] in women, evidence on the psychosocial impact of infertility on men remains limited and inconclusive. Studies conducted in the 1990s showed that men are psychologically less affected by infertility than are women [ 29 , 30 ], while more recent studies showed that the impact is nearly balanced, suggesting that infertility also affects men’s psychological well-being [ 31 – 33 ]. Specifically, quantitative studies have shown that men with a male factor infertility diagnosis reacted more emotionally to infertility than men from couples with another cause of infertility [ 34 , 35 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The psychosocial impact of male infertility on men undergoing ICSI treatment: a qualitative study

de Vries,

Veerman-Verweij,

van den Hoogen

et al. 2024

Reprod Health

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Background Male infertility is in 20–70% of cases the cause of a couple’s infertility. Severe forms of male infertility are best treated with Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). The psychosocial impact of infertility and ICSI on men is unclear because the focus is socially, clinically, and scientifically on women. However, there is evidence that it can affect the psychological well-being of men, but these studies are mainly quantitative. Qualitative research needed to explore the experiences of infertile men in-depth is limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to clarify the psychosocial consequences of male infertility on men undergoing ICSI to understand their experiences with reproduction problems more comprehensively. Methods In this generic qualitative study, men who were undergoing or had undergone ICSI after a male factor infertility diagnosis were included. A purposive sample with maximum variation was sought in a fertility clinic of one university medical centre in the Netherlands. Data were collected through individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes from the data. Results Nineteen Dutch men were interviewed. The mean duration of the interviews was 90 min. An everyday contributing backpack was identified as the main theme, as men indicated that they always carried the psychosocial consequences of infertility and ICSI with them. Different world perspective, Turbulence of emotions, Changing relation, and Selective sharing were the psychosocial consequences that men were most affected by. Moreover, men indicated that they were Searching for contribution during ICSI because the focus was entirely on the woman. Conclusion Men with male infertility experience psychosocial problems due to infertility and ICSI treatment. Healthcare professionals need to recognize the impact of infertility on men and create room for a role for them during ICSI.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The psychosocial impact of male infertility on men undergoing ICSI treatment: a qualitative study

de Vries,

Veerman-Verweij,

van den Hoogen

et al. 2024

Reprod Health

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An insurmountable obstacle: Experiences of Chinese women undergoing in vitro fertilization

Ying,

Zhou,

Jin

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Objective This study aimed to explore the perceptions of women who have undergone unsuccessful in vitro fertilization (IVF) in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, and to explore how treatment failure has impacted their lives and relationships, thereby enabling the public to understand the unique experiences of these women. Design A descriptive qualitative approach was employed, with purposive sampling used to recruit participants from the gynecological department of a traditional Chinese medicine clinic at a large tertiary hospital in Zhejiang province. Twelve women undergoing IVF treatment was involved in the study. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed verbatim. Conventional content analysis methods were used to analyze the data. Results Following analysis, three main categories emerged: 1) The Psychological Experience of Initial Miscarriage from IVF Treatment, 2) The Psychological Experience of Repeated Treatment Failure, and 3) Interpersonal experiences and challenges. Women experiencing initial failure from IVF treatment reported emotions such as surprise, doubt, sadness, disappointment, and embarrassment. They perceived the process as harder than expected, leading to unexpected daily life challenges and difficulties in achieving success. As unsuccessful attempts persisted, they endured psychological suffering and lived in the shadow of repeated treatment failures. Doubts, perplexity, and anxiety grew, making reproduction seem like an insurmountable obstacle in their lives. In their interpersonal experience, women often felt guilt toward family, faced social isolation, and found it challenging to discuss IVF openly everywhere. They encountered a lack of understanding from others but also found mutual sympathy and support among people who shared similar experiences. Conclusions The study provided an insight into the suffering of Chinese women undergoing IVF treatment, highlighting the challenges of overcoming treatment failures. The findings not only inform Chinese infertile women considering IVF treatment but also contribute to the development of more effective support services by healthcare providers.

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Lived experience of infertility and in vitro fertilisation treatment

Cited by 2 publications

References 18 publications

The psychosocial impact of male infertility on men undergoing ICSI treatment: a qualitative study

The psychosocial impact of male infertility on men undergoing ICSI treatment: a qualitative study

An insurmountable obstacle: Experiences of Chinese women undergoing in vitro fertilization

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