| Abstract [eng] |
Infertility is becoming an increasingly important topic around the world. In Western countries, one in seven couples trying to conceive faces difficulties due to a woman’s infertility. In this case, one of the most used treatments is assisted reproduction. It can be noticed that in Lithuania, there are not many studies related to the psychological aspect of infertility. The aim of the study was to reveal and describe the experience of women who gave birth to a baby after assisted reproduction. The research involved 8 mothers (aged 32 to 42) who were unable to conceive for at least two years and underwent ART. Data were collected during a semi-structured interviews lasting an average of 43 minutes and analyzed using the Thematic Analysis Qualitative Research Method. Women stories revealed five main themes: 1) A tedious and long road to artificial insemination; 2) Artificial insemination - the fight against fate in order to have a baby; 3) Male - the main pillar and (non-)participant in the process of artificial insemination; 4) Otherness of the relationship with others and the pressure to have a baby; 5) Having a child is a long-awaited reward. Women who experience infertility and its treatment experience tension, uncertainty, loss of control. Having a child becomes their main goal, making all measures acceptable and they become committed to the ART procedure. This research is useful not only for professionals working in the field, but also for the general public to understand the experiences of mothers who have given birth after assisted reproduction. This study may also help in the development of an effective model of psychological assistance in the future. |
