Dialogues in Infertility: Exploring the Potential for Psychological Adaptation
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Dialogues in Infertility: Exploring the Potential for Psychological Adaptation Kristiina Uriko 1 # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract The objective of this paper is to detail the process of psychological adaptation for a woman navigating the world after a diagnosis of age-related infertility. Infertility is a medical condition, but it occurs within a social and cultural context, thereby creating social and psychological dimensions. Discrepancies between a woman’s fertility ideals and her reality may be related to both personal preferences and contributing social factors. The discussion will be based on longitudinally collected interview data. Drawing on the Dialogical Self Theory, the paper will focus on intra-psychological dynamics (dialogues) and will analyze the adaptation process in terms of I-positions. Based on idiographic analyses the conclusion is that adaptation takes place by taking subjective personal control over the uncertainty of infertility. By integrating new Iposition into intra-personal phenomena, the core “I” will be united with new qualities and is seen as an authentic elaboration resulting from the formation of personal, subjective meaning in a uniquely personal developmental trajectory. Keywords Dialogical self . Psychological adaptation . Age-related infertility
Introduction The problem of infertility is relating more or less to the whole world and is a private and public matter of concern. Worldwide more than 48 million couples suffer from infertility (Mascarenhas et al. 2012). Infertility occurs within a social and cultural context, and, in addition to being a medical condition, infertility also carries social and psychological dimensions. Rather than stressing individual factors at the expense of social and cultural factors or vice versa, the person < > social world interaction should be studied. The aim of this study is to detail the adaptation process of a woman
* Kristiina Uriko [email protected]
1
School of Natural Sciences and Health, Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia
Integr Psych Behav
(within-person) when faced with the challenge of navigating the world after a diagnosis of age-related infertility. Compared to a decade ago, large advances in medicine and infertility treatment have made maternity possible for a far larger group of women. Mental health professionals must also develop their knowledge of the vast range of medical components related to fertility treatment. However, research lacks a deeper understanding of the psychological adaptation process. Cross-sectional studies among couples seeking fertility treatment are common, as are studies which focus on individual characteristics like levels of stress, depression, or anxiety. But qualitative research methods allow for a deeper, broader understanding of the experiences of women who must reconcile their choice to delay childbearing with their potential for permanent childlessness. Qualitative approaches are based on the assumption that participants are heterogeneous and c
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