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ABSTRACT
Objectives
This qualitative study aimed to comprehend the psychological well-beings and available interventions of current Chinese infertile patients, as well as investigate more integrated and effective patient support interventions, if necessary.
Background
It is well known that infertility is a difficult struggle. Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) provide patients with the hope of having a child, but they also cause them pain and stress. There is a dearth of research on the mental health of infertile patients, particularly in developing nations such as China.
Method
Individual interviews were conducted with eight experienced clinicians at the Reproductive Medicine Center from five different hospitals. On the basis of the grounded theory, interviews were transcribed and recursively analysed with the NVivo 12 Plus software by a research team.
Results
73 categories were created, which were then grouped into 12 subthemes that were combined to form the following themes: Theme I: Psychological Distress; Theme II: Sources of Distress; Theme III: Protective Factors; and Theme IV: Interventions.
Conclusions
The themes of subjective experience identified in the study reveal infertile patients’ emotional disturbance and resources of distress, consistent with previous related studies. Despite limitations such as the relatively small number of participants and the exclusively self-report nature of qualitative study, the findings of the study imply the importance of emotional and physical support networks for infertile patients at Reproductive Medicine Centers, consistency of psychological awareness and adequate professional supports.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).