[Psychological impact of infertility among infertile women seeking treatment: a qualitative study]

ABSTRACT

Infertility is a important life event which it and its treatment can affect lives of couples. Infertility can cause various psychological-emotional disorders or consequences. The aim of this study was to explore psychological experiences of infertility and its treatment in infertile women attending to Vali-e-Asr Fertility Health Research Center Tehran, Iran. This qualitative study was carried out on 15 women with primary and secondary infertility. The study was conducted in VaIi-e-Asr Fertility Health Research Center in Tehran. A judgemental method was used to recruit participants in the study. Data were collected using semi -structured interviews and continued until data saturation. Simultaneously in process of data collection, the data analysis phase was performed with conventional content analysis method main concepts emerged from the data were categorized into four main themes and their sub-categories include 1. Cognitive reactions of infertility 2. Cognitive reactions to therapy process 3. Emotional-affective reactions of infertility 4. Emotional-affective reactions to therapy process. This study showed that the infertility and its treatment process for Iranian infertile women is a source of psychological suffering with devastating effects on psychological well-being of infertile couples. The results also showed that one of the major causes of psychological distress is the social pressure by community members, while is less attention is paid to the sociocultural dimensions and consequences of infertility