Infertile Women's Experience of Stressful Dilemmas during Assisted Reproductive Technology Treatment

Abstract

Li Deng, Ya Lia, Fang Wang, Jitao Zeng, Yuyan Li, Wei He, Jiarui Yao* and Shan Meng

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the stress experiences of infertile women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment.

Methods: Fifteen infertile women undergoing assisted reproduction treatment participated in candid face-to-face interviews at a tertiary care hospital in Chongqing, China. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore their stress experiences throughout the entire ART treatment process. The interview data were analyzed individually using NVivo software with a phenomenological research approach.

Results: Three core themes were identified regarding the stress experiences of infertile women during ART treatment. Theme 1: Subjective stress dilemmas; Theme 2: Objective stress dilemmas; Theme 3: Dilemmas in stress coping styles.

Conclusion: The stress experiences of infertile women during ART treatment are uniquely complex and are strongly influenced by their specific cultural values and sociocultural contexts. Understanding this complexity can help healthcare professionals identify the negative psychological states of infertile women, thereby providing targeted social support and psychological care effectively.

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