• Journal of Advanced Technology Convergence
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.57-70
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• 2024

This study is a correlational research to identify the factors influencing the infertility-related quality of life of infertile women. The participants included 131 infertile women who visited the department of obstetrics and gynecology of a general hospital in C city for infertility treatment. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire between May 11 and July 31, 2020. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Schéffe test, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and simultaneous multiple regression using SPSS 18.0 program. The degree of infertility-related quality of life was 3.73±0.65. Infertility-related quality of life had a significant correlation with marital intimacy (r=.37, p<.001), spousal support (r=.38, p<.001), social support (r=.43, p<.001), infertility stress (r=-.74, p<.001) and depression(r=-.54, p<.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that infertility stress (β=-.58, p<.001), depression (β=-.28, p<.001), and social support (β=.16, p=.011) had significant effects on the infertility-related quality of life in infertile women, These variables explained 64.0% of the infertility-related quality of life in infertile women. The main variables affecting infertility-related quality of life were found to be infertility stress, depression, and social support. Therefore, to improve the infertility-related quality of life of infertile women, hospitals should develop an intervention program that can reduce fertility stress and depression and improve social support. Studies should also be conducted to confirm these effects. Depression

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.93-104
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship among infertility stress, depression and Resilience of infertile women during infertility treatment. Methods: As a descriptive study, we surveyed 129 infertile women in 1 fertility center from November 2014 to January 2015. The data was analyzed in SPSS WIn 18.0 program. Results: Infertility stress, depression, and resilience averaged $3.23{\pm}.32$ (range of scale 1~6), $1.42{\pm}.39$ (range of scale 1~4), and $3.45{\pm}.35$ (range of scale 1~5), respectively. There was significant difference in infertility stress by job, abortion experience after pregnancy with infertility treatments, anxiety of high risk pregnancy, burden of pregnancy, important of having child. There was significant difference in depression by job, Economy burden on infertility treatment, burden of pregnancy. Infertility stress had a positive correlation with depression (r=.192. p<.029) Resilience had a negative correlation with depression (r=-.349. p<.001). Conclusion: It is necessary to provide infertile women with the counseling on their infertility stress and depression, and the intervention programs for infertile women is expected to help them cope and adapt with their personal and marital problems, reduce their negative emotions, and thus promote their quality of life.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.145-153
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• 2017

Purpose: This study examined degrees of irrational parenthood cognition, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), spousal support, and quality of life and investigated factors that influence the quality of life of infertile women. Methods: Research design was a cross sectional correlational survey with a total of 113 female patients receiving treatment for infertility. Data were collected from August 1 to November 30, 2015. The collected data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Results: The mean score of the quality of life was $59.0{\pm}14.8$. The quality of life was significantly associated with irrational parenthood cognition (r=-.70), post traumatic stress disorder (r=-.65), and spousal support (r=.56). The factors significantly affecting the quality of life in infertile women were irrational parenthood cognition (${\beta}=-.45$), post traumatic stress disorder (${\beta}=-.34$), and spousal support (${\beta}=-.32$). The explained variance by these factors was 70.4%, and the regression model was valid (F=89.81, p<.001). Conclusion: This study may contribute to the development of nursing intervention program to improve the quality of life of infertile women.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.8
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• pp.107-113
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationships between social support and infertility stress in infertile men. Method: Participants were 120 infertile men in a hospital located S city Korea. The structured questionnaire included social support scale, fertility problem inventory scale. The data were examined using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation with SPSS 25.0. Results: Social support was significantly correlated with infertility stress(r=-.32, p=<.001). Conclusion: Based on this study, infertility stress could be decreased by social support improvement in infertile men. Theses results suggests that infertile men need nursing intervention to minimize infertility stress by promoting social support.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.465-475
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to examine actor and partner effects among infertile couples in determining whether self-esteem affects the degree of infertility-related stress via perceived spousal support. The sample comprised 219 couples who experienced infertility, each of whom completed an online survey. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics, t-test, correlation analysis and APIM (Actor-Partner Interdependence Model) were performed using SPSS 25.0 and Mplus 7.3 program. The main results were as follows. First, the actor effect of spousal support on self-esteem was significant in both husbands and wives. Second, the actor effects of spousal support on infertility-related stress and self-esteem on infertility stress were significant only in husbands. Third, in the association between husbands' and wives' spousal support and infertility-related stress, three mediating pathways via husband's self-esteem were found to be significant. Based on these results, the necessity for a couple-level analysis in infertility research, psycho-emotional interventions for infertile couples, and implications for follow-up studies were discussed.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.56-67
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to elucidate infertility women's experience in psychological stress and to suggest effective infertility stress management methods. Methods: Twenty five infertility women who participate in Korean Medicine Pilot Project for Infertility completed questionnaires and Infertility Stress Scale, also, we have interviewed. Results: The Mean degree of stress of the infertile women was 2.24 point with Infertility Stress Scale. In focused interview, the infertility stress was considered to be within the aspects of intra and interpersonal. In regards to intrapersonal aspect, infertility women described the grief with lowered self-esteem and anxiety with obsession for fertility. As for the interpersonal aspect, infertility women were distressed by the relationship with spouse and in-laws, as well as friend and the public. Conclusions: Doctors in infertility clinic need to consider infertility stress of their patients and conduct effective intervention.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.85-100
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• 2023

Objectives: To evaluate stress patterns and coping abilities in women with infertility by conducting in-depth interviews. Methods: Ten women with infertility who visited the Korean Medicine Hospital and provided consent after being informed of the purpose and method of the study were selected after meeting the inclusion/exclusion criteria. They were requested to complete a preliminary questionnaire developed by the researchers, the Infertility Stress Scale, and the Korean version of the Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI). Subsequently, each participant was interviewed individually. Results: The preliminary questionnaire was used to evaluate sensitivity to each type of infertility-related stress and ability to express and resolve it. Among all infertility stress types, the largest proportion, accounting for an average of 47.5±26.95%, was that felt by the patient herself. Considering stress awareness intensity, the stress felt by the patient was the highest, with an average score of 4.30±0.64. Relative stress sensitivity due to infertility was the highest, with an average score of 3.90±0.94. Compared with general work stress, the average ability to relieve stress related to problems with spouses was the highest, with a score of 2.50±1.20. The average Infertility Stress Scale score was 2.88±1.35 and FPI score was 2.87±2.52. Conclusions: The highest stress scores were observed for the following items: meaning of children, need for parenthood, and stress due to the diagnosis of infertility. The lowest stress scores were allocated to the item concerning relationships with friends and co-workers. Based on the in-depth interviews conducted after the survey, stress in women with infertility may be classified as emotional, physical, and economic. Thus, the requirement for providing appropriate psychological and emotional support depending on the stress type in addition to general medical treatment for infertility treatment was confirmed.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.63-84
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• 2024

Objectives: This study aims to understand the stress patterns and coping behaviors of women with infertility and to improve existing infertility stress assessment tools to develop a tool suited for Korean society. Methods: The study involved 10 women diagnosed with primary or secondary infertility. Data were collected through surveys and in-depth interviews. Participants were recruited voluntarily, and snowball sampling was used for additional recruitment. Data collection occurred from September 2023 to April 2024. Data analysis included Spearman's rank correlation, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis test. Interview results were analyzed using text mining and network analysis with Python 3.12. Results: There was a significant correlation between IVF/ICSI treatment and resilience scores, with non-IVF/ICSI groups showing higher resilience scores. Existing infertility stress assessment tools were generally useful but had limitations, such as discomfort with religious expressions and fixed gender roles, as well as issues with the number of items and response scales. Text mining of interview responses revealed key stress-related keywords including worry, depression, burden, pregnancy outcome, and health. Main stressors included uncertainty about pregnancy outcomes, physical discomfort during treatments, economic burdens, and emotional reactions from family and social relationships. Conclusions: This study identified the stress patterns of women with infertility through interviews. It showed the need for a new assessment tool to evaluate and support the complex stressors experienced by these women. Developing a comprehensive tool is essential for better understanding and managing the various stress factors faced by infertile women.