Coping with infertility : A qualitative study of the infertile experiences and how others can help
Abstract
The purpose of the current study is to qualitatively examine the experience of infertility from the individual's perspective and how friends, family, and counselors can assist these individuals. Six individuals were surveyed about their experiences concerning their infertility. The male and female partners were surveyed individually in order to preserve the phenomenological nature of the study. Results showed that the experience of infertility was consistently identified in five domains: infertility decreases self-worth, it is all-encompassing, the downfall of treatments, angry and resentful feelings, and concern for spouse. Support systems were identified in three domains: friends/family, outside resources, and counseling. This study is important and useful for counselors since it gives an account of infertility from the infertile individuals' perspective, and establishes common themes for counselors to focus upon when assisting couples coping with infertility.