{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T18:22:49Z","timestamp":1787768569673,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":11,"publisher":"Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1771977600000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["lww.com","ovid.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Subfertility is a significant reproductive health issue that carries profound implications, particularly for women in conservative societies. In South Kashmir, India, where motherhood is deeply tied to female identity, women with subfertility often face stigma, isolation, and emotional distress. Women deal with subfertility, using their enduring natural defenses and learned coping skills.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Aim:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To explore the coping mechanisms employed by women dealing with subfertility in South Kashmir.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Materials and Methods:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The study was conducted in the Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College, Anantnag. A qualitative, phenomenological approach was adopted. The participants were recruited through a purposive sampling technique. The participants were 18 women diagnosed with subfertility. Their coping skills were explored using in-depth semi-structured interviews. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis with NVivo software to identify recurring patterns in coping strategies.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Two themes, adaptive and maladaptive coping, were identified, each comprising five subthemes: emotional, behavioral, religious\/spiritual, socio-cultural, and healthcare coping. Adaptive strategies included resilience, faith, support-seeking, and treatment adherence. In contrast, maladaptive responses featured emotional suppression, fatalistic beliefs, social withdrawal, and mistrust in healthcare systems. Many coping mechanisms were found to be interrelated and shaped by local socio-cultural and religious contexts.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Women in South Kashmir employ a spectrum of coping strategies to navigate the subfertility challenges. While some display resilience, others suffer in silence due to stigma and insufficient support. A culturally sensitive, multidisciplinary approach integrating mental health and community awareness services is essential to support these women more effectively.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.4103\/ipj.ipj_211_25","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T13:00:07Z","timestamp":1772024407000},"page":"203-207","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/lww.0000000000001000","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["A qualitative study on coping mechanisms utilized by women dealing with subfertility"],"prefix":"10.4103","volume":"35","author":[{"given":"Amin","family":"Rehana","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College, Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ara","family":"Shabnum","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, GMC Srinagar, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yoounus","family":"Mohammad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College, Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mir Rabia","family":"Syed","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Law, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dar Mansoor","family":"Ahmad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College, Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sameen Yetoo","family":"Duri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Government Medical College, Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"276","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"R1-20260821","first-page":"45","article-title":"The psychological impact of infertility: A comparison with patients with other medical conditions","volume":"14","author":"Domar","year":"1993","journal-title":"J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol"},{"key":"R2-20260821","first-page":"74","article-title":"Women's experiences of infertility and childlessness in Assam, India: A qualitative study","volume":"3","author":"Deka","year":"2010","journal-title":"J Hum Reprod Sci"},{"key":"R3-20260821","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"671","DOI":"10.1002\/ijgo.14084","article-title":"Depression, anxiety, quality of life and coping in women with infertility: A cross-sectional study from India","volume":"158","author":"Dadhwal","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Gynaecol 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Sci"},{"key":"R7-20260821","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"76","DOI":"10.52567\/pjsr.v5i01.1006","article-title":"Psycho-social state and coping strategies of childless or infertile women: A qualitative study","volume":"5","author":"Sherazi","year":"2023","journal-title":"Pakistan J Soc Res"},{"key":"R8-20260821","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.1177\/2631831821991518","article-title":"Fertility-related problems and ways of coping of couples with primary infertility in urban India","volume":"3","author":"De","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Psychosexual Health"},{"key":"R9-20260821","first-page":"15","article-title":"Infertility and its socio-cultural impact in the Kashmir Valley","volume":"11","author":"Zargar","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Fertil Reprod Med"},{"key":"R10-20260821","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1115643","DOI":"10.3389\/frph.2023.1115643","article-title":"Treatment-seeking behaviour among infertile tribal women of Palghar district in India","volume":"5","author":"Jadhav","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Reprod Health"},{"key":"R11-20260821","first-page":"2975","article-title":"The psychological impact of fertility treatment on men and women: A comparative study","volume":"26","author":"Farren","year":"2011","journal-title":"Hum Reprod"}],"container-title":["Industrial Psychiatry 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