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Abstract

Infertility poses a significant health challenge, especially in cultures like Nigeria, where the importance of parenthood is paramount, and childlessness carries social stigma. Despite its prevalence, there remains a gap in understanding the experiences of infertile couples navigating treatment in Nigeria. This qualitative phenomenological research aimed to delve into the experiences of infertile couples seeking fertility treatments in selected Lagos State hospitals, focusing on the psychological impacts of infertility, psychosocial effects, treatment barriers, and coping mechanisms. Data were obtained from infertile couples receiving treatment at four selected fertility clinics in Lagos State through unstructured interviews, supported by an interview guide and audio recordings. Participants met specific inclusion criteria, and data saturation was reached after 21 interviews. Three themes and nine sub-themes were identified, 17 of 21 couples (80.95%) stated infertility is accompanied with emotional distress; 18 of 21 (85.7%) expressed low self-esteem and dissatisfaction with life; 13 couples (61.9%) experienced denial and stigmatization; 80.9% of the couples identified financial limitations as major barriers to infertility care; 14 out of 21 (66.7%) are hindered by their cultural/beliefs, and 16 couples (76%) experienced poor access to suitable treatments. Nonetheless, couples demonstrated resilience through religious faith, hope in assisted reproductive technologies (ART), and few participants, 2 of 21 (9.5%) expressed engagement in occupational activities as coping measure. The research emphasized the intricate psychosocial hurdles confronting infertile couples in Nigeria, advocating for enhanced support structures, improved fertility care accessibility, and culturally attuned interventions. Addressing these issues is pivotal to promoting the well-being and reproductive health of infertile couples in Nigeria and comparable settings.

Keywords

Infertility Lived Experiences Treatment seeking

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Copyright (c) 2024 K. M. Lemonu

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Author Biography

J Gbogbo, African Centre of Excellence for Public Health and Toxicological Research, (ACE-PUTOR), University of Port Harcourt, PMB 5323, Choba, Port Harcourt

Departmentof Nursing, University of Port Harcourt, PMB. 5323. Choba, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

How to Cite
Lemonu, K. M., & Gbogbo, J. (2024). Infertility: Lived Experiences of Couples Seeking Fertility Treatment in Selected Hospitals in Lagos State, Nigeria. Journal of Public Health and Toxicological Research, 2(1), 56–60. Retrieved from https://jphtr.com/index.php/journal/article/view/28
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