{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,11,11]],"date-time":"2026-11-11T08:24:50Z","timestamp":1794385490780,"version":"4.9.0"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,16]],"date-time":"2025-09-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1757980800000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":15,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Addis Ababa University postgraduate office","award":["Not applicable"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Not applicable"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Open"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,3]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,9]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Infertility is a significant reproductive health issue that affects couples physically, emotionally and socially. This qualitative study aims to explore the psycho-social experiences and coping strategies of infertile couples attending infertility clinics at Saint Paul\u2019s Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study employed a descriptive phenomenological research design. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 purposively selected couples experiencing infertility. The study used thematic analysis to capture the emotional, social and psychological impacts of infertility on individuals and their relationships.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Key themes identified include emotional distress, social stigma, marital strain and a sense of isolation. Participants reported experiencing feelings of shame, depression and anxiety, often exacerbated by societal expectations and pressure to conceive. Coping strategies varied across individuals and included seeking medical intervention, social support, religious faith and, in some cases, withdrawal from social interactions.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The study highlights the need for comprehensive psychological support and counselling services in infertility care to address the mental health and social challenges faced by infertile couples. Promoting awareness to reduce stigma and enhancing social support systems may improve the overall well-being of affected individuals.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-095313","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,17]],"date-time":"2025-09-17T06:25:20Z","timestamp":1758090320000},"page":"e095313","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Psycho-social experiences and coping strategies of infertile couples attending infertility clinics in Saint Paul\u2019s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Yidnekachew Tekle","family":"Behude","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Midwifery, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7768-0196","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Endalew Gemechu","family":"Sendo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Midwifery, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2317-405X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hanna Hailu","family":"Tamir","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Midwifery, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.1","unstructured":"WHO . Key facts: infertility. 2024. Available: https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/infertility"},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.2","first-page":"131","article-title":"The emotional-psychological consequences of infertility among infertile women seeking treatment: Results of a qualitative study","volume":"12","author":"Hasanpoor-Azghdy","year":"2014","journal-title":"Iran J Reprod Med"},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12905-022-01726-w"},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/humrep\/dei193"},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/s12905-022-01601-8","article-title":"Magnitude of infertility and associated factors among women attending selected public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study","volume":"22","author":"Akalewold","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC Womens Health"},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1186\/s40738-020-00090-3","article-title":"Primary and secondary infertility in Africa: systematic review with meta-analysis","volume":"6","author":"Abebe","year":"2020","journal-title":"Fertil Res Pract"},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.7","unstructured":"Creswell JW . Chapter 3: designing a qualitative study. In: Qualitative inquiry and research design: choosing among five approaches. 2007: 35\u201341."},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/intqhc\/mzm042"},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"299","DOI":"10.1002\/nop2.1062","article-title":"A qualitative study of the factors that help the coping of infertile women","volume":"9","author":"Halkola","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nurs Open"},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000037725","article-title":"Infertile women of Ethiopia: Psychological challenges and coping strategies","volume":"103","author":"Adane","year":"2024","journal-title":"Medicine (Baltimore)"},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fertnstert.2017.06.005"},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bpobgyn.2006.12.003"},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/humrep\/17.6.1663"},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.14","first-page":"106","article-title":"The social and cultural consequences of infertility","volume":"2","author":"van Balen","year":"2009","journal-title":"Facts Views Vis OBGYN"},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"343","DOI":"10.2147\/IJWH.S205231","article-title":"Depression and associated factors among infertile women at Tu Du hospital, Vietnam: a cross-sectional study","volume":"11","author":"Vo","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int J Womens Health"},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.16","first-page":"243","article-title":"Psychosocial Problems and Coping Strategies among Turkish Women with Infertility","volume":"9","author":"Karaca","year":"2015","journal-title":"Asian Nurs Res (Korean Soc Nurs Sci)"},{"key":"2025100512105103000_15.9.e095313.17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/s13063-022-06795-8","article-title":"Development and evaluation of couple-based coping strategies with infertility: a protocol for a mixed-methods study","volume":"23","author":"Reisi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Trials"}],"container-title":["BMJ Open"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-095313","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,5]],"date-time":"2025-10-05T19:11:57Z","timestamp":1759691517000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/bmjopen.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-095313"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,9]]},"references-count":17,"journal-issue":{"issue":"9","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,16]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,9]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-095313"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-095313","relation":{"has-part":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-095313.supp1","asserted-by":"subject"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-095313.supp2","asserted-by":"subject"}]},"ISSN":["2044-6055","2044-6055"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2044-6055","type":"print"},{"value":"2044-6055","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,9]]}}}