TY - JOUR
T1 - Beliefs about children and the psychosocial implications of infertility on individuals seeking assisted fertilization in Ghana
AU - Kyei, Josephine Mpomaa
AU - Manu, Adom
AU - Kotoh, Agnes M.
AU - Adjei, Charles Ampong
AU - Ankomah, Augustine
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s)
PY - 2021/3
Y1 - 2021/3
N2 - Infertility presents challenges to individuals and couples, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to document beliefs about childbearing/children and the psychosocial implications of infertility in individuals seeking assisted fertilization in the Ghanaian context. The study had an exploratory descriptive qualitative design. Six males and 12 females were recruited purposefully from five private fertility centres in the Greater Accra Region. Face-to-face interviews were performed. In Ghanaian society, couples and individuals with infertility who are seeking assisted fertilization consider having biological children to be important. The quest to have children was broadly centred on the associated benefits of being a parent, including societal recognition, the role of family inheritance, and support. The inability of participants to have biological children was found to have a negative effect on their psychological and social well-being. Anxiety, worry, hopelessness, stigma and suicidal ideations were some of the effects identified. It is recommended that those seeking assisted fertilization should be supported through counselling to minimize the potential negative effects of childlessness.
AB - Infertility presents challenges to individuals and couples, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to document beliefs about childbearing/children and the psychosocial implications of infertility in individuals seeking assisted fertilization in the Ghanaian context. The study had an exploratory descriptive qualitative design. Six males and 12 females were recruited purposefully from five private fertility centres in the Greater Accra Region. Face-to-face interviews were performed. In Ghanaian society, couples and individuals with infertility who are seeking assisted fertilization consider having biological children to be important. The quest to have children was broadly centred on the associated benefits of being a parent, including societal recognition, the role of family inheritance, and support. The inability of participants to have biological children was found to have a negative effect on their psychological and social well-being. Anxiety, worry, hopelessness, stigma and suicidal ideations were some of the effects identified. It is recommended that those seeking assisted fertilization should be supported through counselling to minimize the potential negative effects of childlessness.
KW - Ghana
KW - assisted reproductive technology
KW - beliefs
KW - children
KW - infertility
KW - psychosocial
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103665442&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.rbms.2021.02.003
DO - 10.1016/j.rbms.2021.02.003
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85103665442
SN - 2405-6618
VL - 12
SP - 88
EP - 95
JO - Reproductive Biomedicine and Society Online
JF - Reproductive Biomedicine and Society Online
ER -