The Lived Experience of Infertility in Asian Americans: A Qualitative Study

ObjectiveTo identify psychosocial and cultural factors among Asian American patients diagnosed with infertility that may contribute to their disparate fertility outcomes. DesignA cross-sectional qualitative interview study was conducted with women [≥]18-years-old who identified as Asian American and had a diagnosis of infertility. Semi-structured interviews were performed until thematic saturation was reached. The interviews were transcribed and coded. A codebook was developed to capture the grounded perspectives of participants. The web application Dedoose was utilized to conduct content analysis, identifying common themes and patterns. ResultsAsian Americans voice the importance of having children, emphasizing the cultural expectation to procreate. They reported that infertility caused immense mental and emotional distress, resulting in feelings of disappointment and grief. Participants noted that it is not common in their culture to talk about infertility-related issues. Religion and naturopathic remedies played a large role in helping participants adjust to their infertility journeys. Participants stated that the infertility evaluation was complicated and one particular area of frustration was the lack of individually centered treatment. Interestingly, participants expressed desire to help other Asian women who are also struggling with infertility. ConclusionInfertility is a difficult and complex experience for Asian American women. Parenthood is a strong expectation for people of Asian descent and results in emotional burden when complicated by infertility. Fertility concerns are considered taboo to openly discuss, which can cause additional feelings of isolation. Healthcare providers should work to address the culturally induced shame associated with infertility and provide more individualized care.