Emotions, thoughts, and coping strategies of women with infertility problems on changes in treatment during Covid-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

Arbag E., ALUŞ TOKAT M., Ozozturk S.

WOMENS STUDIES INTERNATIONAL FORUM, cilt.98, 2023 (SSCI) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 98
  • Basım Tarihi: 2023
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.wsif.2023.102735
  • Dergi Adı: WOMENS STUDIES INTERNATIONAL FORUM
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, IBZ Online, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, Periodicals Index Online, American History and Life, Educational research abstracts (ERA), Gender Studies Database, Historical Abstracts, Index Islamicus, Political Science Complete, Psycinfo, Social services abstracts, Sociological abstracts, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: COVID-19, Infertility, Stress and coping strategies, Fertility treatments, Lazarus and Folkman
  • Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This study assesses the emotions, thoughts, and coping strategies of women with infertility problems associated with the changes in treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic using Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model of Stress and Coping. This qualitative study was based on two Internet forums between October-December 2020, and the comments of 30 women. Four themes were assessed: psychological changes, cognitive changes, changes in social life, and coping strategies. Women reported that the closure of fertility clinics negatively impacted their lives. They experienced despair, uncertainty, disappointment, anger, sadness, and exhaustion from waiting. The expressions of women about coping strategies mostly include emotion-based coping strategies. This study illustrated the importance of using qualitative methods to describe and specify stress and coping strategies in women whose infertility treatment was delayed. It is believed that approaches based on Lazarus and Folkman's model could help healthcare professionals to determine potential stressors for women with infertility during the pandemic, and to identify areas that required improved personal coping strategies.