A Qualitative Analysis of Infertile Couples’ Experiences of Family Pressure, Social Shame, and Redefinition of Marital Identity
Keywords:
Infertility, infertile couples, family pressure, social shame, marital identity, thematic analysis, qualitative researchAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of infertile couples in Tehran regarding family pressure, social shame, and the redefinition of marital identity in the context of infertility.
Methods and Materials: This qualitative study was conducted using thematic analysis. The participants consisted of 24 infertile married individuals, including 12 women and 12 men from Tehran, selected through purposive sampling with maximum variation in age, duration of marriage, duration of infertility, infertility cause, and treatment history. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved; saturation occurred after the twentieth interview, and four additional interviews were conducted to ensure data adequacy. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using NVivo software. Data analysis involved initial coding, development of subcategories, and abstraction of main themes. Credibility and trustworthiness were enhanced through member checking, peer review, field notes, analytic memoing, and audit trail documentation.
Findings: Four main categories emerged from the data: “family pressure and intrusion into the marital boundary,” “social shame and secrecy management,” “emotional erosion and reorganization of the marital relationship,” and “redefinition of marital identity beyond childbearing.” The findings indicated that infertility was not experienced merely as a medical condition, but as a social, emotional, and identity-related crisis. Repeated questioning, comparison with fertile couples, unsolicited advice, and blame from family members intensified couples’ psychological distress. Social shame led many participants to conceal infertility, avoid family gatherings, and experience a sense of deficiency in gendered and marital roles. Nevertheless, some couples developed more resilient marital identities through mutual support, boundary-setting with relatives, and reconstructing the meaning of their shared life.
Conclusion: Infertility among couples in Tehran is a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by the interaction of body, family, culture, and marital identity. Psychological and couple-based interventions should address not only individual distress but also family pressure, social stigma, marital alliance, and the reconstruction of a shared couple narrative under reproductive uncertainty.
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