“The biggest disappointment”: women’s expectations from sex are ignored, from the perspective of infertile women
Özet
Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the attitudes,
behaviours and experiences of infertile women towards sexuality.
Methods: This study was carried out in the infertility outpatient
clinic of a state hospital in Istanbul of Turkey. Fifteen infertile
women who had been receiving primary infertility treatment for
at least two years and were actively continuing infertility treatment
were included in the study. Data were collected by means of an
detailed information form and a semi-structured interview. Content
analysis was applied to the data obtained from semi-structured
interviews. Consistency percentage calculation was made between
the codes and themes determined by 4 researchers who are experts
in their fields.
Results: Results based on the interviews with the participants, 2
main themes, 6 sub-themes and 27 codes related to sub-themes
were determined as ‘Factors Affecting Sexual Life’ and ‘Overview of
Sexual Health and Sexuality’. ‘Disappointment’ was determined as
the most commonly defined code in the determined main theme
and sub-themes.
Conclusion: It was determined that the majority of infertile women
base their sexual lives on reproductive functions, experience serious
sexual health problems, feel worthless, and describe their sexual life
as a great disappointment.
