Childbearing importance: A qualitative study of women with infertility in China

Abstract

The primary goal of this study was to examine and describe the importance of childbearing as perceived by infertile women in the Chinese familial and social context. We adopted a qualitative descriptive method and conducted semi-structured interviews with female patients diagnosed with infertility. Participants were recruited at a high-volume fertility clinic in Tianjin, China. Fifteen women with a diagnosis of infertility were interviewed for 60-90 min. Data were analyzed by thematic analysis.Two themes supported the importance of childbearing for Chinese women with infertility: childbearing as natural law, and childbearing for relational harmony.Childbearing as natural law referred to intrinsic forces to seek a child, including (i) achieving motherhood and womanhood and (ii) experiencing a developmental transition with childbearing as a landmark. Relational harmony included three primary factors: (i) to maintain marital quality by preventing marital failure and rejuvenating an unsatisfactory marital relationship; (ii) to fulfill both authoritative and reciprocal filial piety; (iii) to build a sense of normalcy within family and social networks. In summary, infertility resulted in loss of motherhood, womanhood, and a smooth developmental transition. Moreover, it threatened relationship harmony in the marriage, family, and social life. These insights on the value of childbearing in the Chinese context can inform healthcare professionals in identify infertility-related demands and developing relevant psychosocial services for people with infertility.

The Human Responses and Nursing Diagnoses of Those Living With Infertility: A Qualitative Systematic Review

“…The inability to conceive creates a profound impact in life purpose (Mahajan et al, 2009), since it defies patients' previous convictions on childbearing, birth, and parenting (Yao, Chan, & Chan, 2018). Motherhood and parenthood are perceived as the ultimate sacred and transcendent state one craves to achieve not only for its meaning (Klobučar, 2016;Prinds, Hvidt, Mogensen, & Buus, 2014), but as a way to ensure perpetuation of the genetic inheritance (Hendriks, Peeraer, Bos, Repping, & Dancet, 2017).…”

Perceptions of Infertility among women in United Arab Emirates: a qualitative study

“…Threatened relationship harmony in the marriage has also been reported in Chinese context. Infertility was seen as very likely to result in marital instability and threaten marital bonds in the study of Yao, Chan and Chan (20). In a study by Ranjbar et al, it was found that women who have become pregnant through ARTs expressed emotional safety and security in marital life as the most important achievement of pregnancy, suggesting that infertility caused instability in their marital life (21).…”

Intention of having a second child among infertile and fertile women attending outpatient gynecology clinics in three major cities in China: a cross-sectional study

“…The depression scores among infertile women were higher than those of their fertile counterparts. The reproductive journey might be particularly stressful for Chinese couples in a child-oriented culture (Yao et al , 2018), and thus establishing culturally sensitive and evidence-based practice through the development and validation of fertility counseling programs in the Chinese context will be imperative. Programs utilizing body–mind–spirit interventions and couple-based counseling have been found to be effective in enhancing the psychosocial well-being of infertile Chinese couples undergoing ART treatments (Chan et al , 2006, 2012; Loke et al , 2018).…”