Infertility as seen by the infertile couples from a collectivistic culture.

Abstract

Infertility in collectivistic cultures is usually regarded as a matter of social stigmatization instead of a biomedical problem. It has adverse sociocultural consequences, especially for the female spouse. The current study, by involving 20 infertile couples, was a qualitative research focusing on the sociocultural experiences of the infertile couples about the nature, causes, and consequences of infertility. The findings of the current study clearly depicted the sociocultural factors involved in interpreting infertility as a matter of shame and bad reputation for the couple and its family. The study has filled a significant knowledge gap and will be useful in identifying and addressing the cultural barriers in the treatment of infertility.