Perceptions of Infertility among women in United Arab Emirates: a qualitative study

Abstract

Background: Bearing a child is one of the most important motivations for human beings with regard to the continuation of life. People's perception of infertility is contingent upon various diverse cultural factors. Objective: This study aims to explore the perceptions of infertility in infertile women in the United Arab Emirates. Methods: This qualitative study was carried out on fourteen infertile women who were referred to medicine and health science clinical services, in Al Ain, in the United Arab Emirates. Data were collected through semistructured interviews. After the interviews were recorded, the data were analyzed using conventional content analysis method. Results: After analyzing the data, four themes including “fulfillment of dreams about being pregnant”, “marital instability”, “loss of self-esteem” and “spirituality is the way for reaching calmness” were extracted. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that infertile women face many problems that affect their feelings and relationships in everyday life. It is thus recommended that counseling and midwifery centers be established in all infertility clinics, and experienced midwives who are familiar with reproductive health concepts guide and support infertile women as well as respond to their questions.