“The biggest disappointment”: women’s expectations from sex are ignored, from the perspective of infertile women

ABSTRACT

Objective

The aim of this study is to determine the attitudes, behaviours and experiences of infertile women towards sexuality.

Methods

This study was carried out in the infertility outpatient clinic of a state hospital in Istanbul of Turkey. Fifteen infertile women who had been receiving primary infertility treatment for at least two years and were actively continuing infertility treatment were included in the study. Data were collected by means of an detailed information form and a semi-structured interview. Content analysis was applied to the data obtained from semi-structured interviews. Consistency percentage calculation was made between the codes and themes determined by 4 researchers who are experts in their fields.

Results

Results based on the interviews with the participants, 2 main themes, 6 sub-themes and 27 codes related to sub-themes were determined as ‘Factors Affecting Sexual Life’ and ‘Overview of Sexual Health and Sexuality’. ‘Disappointment’ was determined as the most commonly defined code in the determined main theme and sub-themes.

Conclusion

It was determined that the majority of infertile women base their sexual lives on reproductive functions, experience serious sexual health problems, feel worthless, and describe their sexual life as a great disappointment.

KEYWORDS:

• Infertility
• disappointment
• sexuality
• sexual problems
• woman

Acknowledgments

We are indebted to the women who took the time to share their experiences.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.