Mimi M H Tiu
The Open University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Title: Voice of Chinese women regarding infertility
Biography
Biography: Mimi M H Tiu
Abstract
As one of the unfavorable issues probably affecting reproduction, infertility affects one in six couples in Hong Kong. In the Chinese community, women were previously blamed for their inability to conceive. Infertility is a difficult experience for women. The pain and loss associated with infertility can last throughout their lifetime. Studies have also indicated that women are actually more adversely affected by infertility than men. The birth rate in Hong Kong has remained extremely low for the past decades. The encouragement of fertility can increase the workforce in society and balance out the ageing population. However, infertile women in Hong Kong are normally experiencing chronic stress, which only exacerbates the difficulty of conceiving. Thus, realizing the experiences of those suffering from infertility and scrutinizing the processes in which these experiences have been shaped by the sociocultural context is necessary. The present study aims to explore the experiences and coping strategies of infertile women. A qualitative phenomenological design was adopted, and snowball sampling method was employed. A total of 13 women diagnosed with infertility participated in the study. In depth semi structured interviews were conducted by investigators. Data were audio-typed, transcribed and then analyzed using thematic analysis. Three themes were generated from this study as follows: (1) Having no means to ventilate their feelings; (2) Evolving the relationship with their God; and (3) Receiving non-satisfactory reproductive health services. The result of this study not only enhanced understanding the life of infertile women but also the mechanisms in which health policies in Hong Kong could be refined to assist reproductive health service.