Lived experience of infertility among Hong Kong Chinese women.

PURPOSE: This study aims to explore and describe the phenomenon of women with infertility and to enhance understanding on how infertility affects their lives and the specific social consequence they encountered.

METHOD: A qualitative phenomenological design was adopted in this study. A total of 13 women who are infertile participated in the study. A snowball sampling method was adopted. Data were analysed through thematic analysis.

RESULTS: Four themes emerged in the study, including (i) non-escapable cultural burden in Chinese family; (ii) psychological distress: isolation caused by envy; (iii) disappointment towards reproductive health services; and (iv) self-compassion and religion as coping strategies.

CONCLUSIONS: The causes of infertility are highly complex. Apart from medical conditions, many social conditions would also probably trigger the difficulty of conceiving. Health care professional should also focus on the social and psychological aspects of women of infertility.