Emotional experience of Danish men during fertility treatment: qualitative study on engagement, hope and loss

IF 3.9 2区医学 Q1 OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

Reproductive biomedicine online Pub Date : 2026-02-01 Epub Date: 2025-08-13 DOI:10.1016/j.rbmo.2025.105217

Randi Sylvest , Lone Schmidt , Anja Pinborg , Søren Ziebe

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Research question

How does being in fertility treatment affect men, and how can healthcare professionals better involve and support men throughout the process?

Design

Semi-structured qualitative interview study with 15 men (aged 31–47 years) undergoing fertility treatment. Four men had used donor semen. Six couples had experienced a pregnancy loss. Participants were recruited through fertility clinics, patient organizations and social media. Data were collected in 2023 and 2024 and analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results

The following themes emerged from the interview data: involvement; hope (becoming a father and keeping positive); loss (psychological burden, control and masculinity); and lasting impact. Involvement and inclusion of men during fertility treatment were of critical importance. The men observed that this entails efforts from healthcare professionals to actively engage them and a recognition of their own responsibility in the process. The men saw the fertility journey as a shared and important issue. All participants expressed a profound sense of hope and motivation rooted in their aspiration to eventually become fathers. The men described experiencing the loss of dreams, hope, sense of masculinity and a sense of control. Experiencing infertility had a lasting effect on them, affecting them mentally, socially, sexually and financially, regardless of whether or not they ended up having children.

Conclusion

It is important that men are acknowledged and included in the fertility treatment process. Healthcare professionals need to recognize the effect of infertility on men aspiring to become fathers and their need to play a meaningful role during fertility treatment.

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丹麦男性在生育治疗期间的情感体验：参与、希望和损失的定性研究。

研究问题：接受生育治疗如何影响男性，医疗保健专业人员如何在整个过程中更好地参与和支持男性？设计：对15名接受生育治疗的男性（31-47岁）进行半结构化定性访谈研究。四名男子使用了捐赠的精液。有六对夫妇经历了流产。参与者是通过生育诊所、患者组织和社交媒体招募的。数据收集于2023年和2024年，采用定性内容分析法进行分析。结果：访谈数据显示以下主题：参与；希望（成为父亲，保持积极向上）；丧失（心理负担、控制和男子气概）；以及持久的影响。男性在生育治疗期间的参与和包容是至关重要的。这些男子指出，这需要医疗保健专业人员作出努力，使他们积极参与其中，并认识到他们在这一过程中的责任。男人们将生育之旅视为一个共同的重要问题。所有参与者都表达了深切的希望和动力，因为他们渴望最终成为父亲。这些男性描述了他们失去梦想、希望、男子气概和控制感的经历。不孕对她们产生了持久的影响，无论她们最终是否有孩子，都会在精神上、社交上、性上和经济上影响她们。结论：男性在生育治疗过程中得到认可和包容是非常重要的。医疗保健专业人员需要认识到不孕症对渴望成为父亲的男性的影响，以及他们需要在生育治疗中发挥有意义的作用。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Reproductive biomedicine online 医学-妇产科学

CiteScore

7.20

自引率

7.50%

发文量

391

审稿时长

50 days

期刊介绍： Reproductive BioMedicine Online covers the formation, growth and differentiation of the human embryo. It is intended to bring to public attention new research on biological and clinical research on human reproduction and the human embryo including relevant studies on animals. It is published by a group of scientists and clinicians working in these fields of study. Its audience comprises researchers, clinicians, practitioners, academics and patients. Context: The period of human embryonic growth covered is between the formation of the primordial germ cells in the fetus until mid-pregnancy. High quality research on lower animals is included if it helps to clarify the human situation. Studies progressing to birth and later are published if they have a direct bearing on events in the earlier stages of pregnancy.