Exploring the Psychosocial Impacts on Childless Couples Undergoing In Vitro Fertilisation Treatment in Malaysia: A Qualitative Study

Objective: Infertility impacts the lives of childless couples through many different aspects, such as physical, emotional, financial, sexual, marital, and social relationships. This study aimed to explore the psychological and social impacts on childless couples undergoing In Vitro Fertilisation treatment (IVF) in Malaysia. Material and Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 8 childless couples affected by primary infertility. The participants were purposefully selected from 3 reproductive clinics in Malaysia from January to April 2023. Each interview was audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: There were 8 subthemes for the psychological impacts: impaired concentration, feeling guilty, negative self-perception, hopefulness, feelings of failure, stress, anxiety, and depression. There were 7 subthemes under social impacts: sexual harassment in the workplace, self-isolation, social withdrawal, stigmatization, low self-esteem, loneliness, and lack of support. Conclusion: Additional efforts are needed to improve support in the IVF journey, especially among nurses, who need to ensure that childless couples have a healthy mentally and are adequately prepared to receive infertility treatment.