The importance of the ‘family clock’: women’s lived experience of fertility decision-making 6 years after attending the Fertility Assessment and Counselling clinic

This study explored women’s lived experience of making fertility decisions six years after attending the Fertility Assessment and Counselling (FAC) clinic in Copenhagen, Denmark, which is a personalised fertility awareness intervention. We conducted a qualitative interview study with 24 women who attended the FAC clinic 6 years earlier. Interviews were semi-structured and broadly examined the women’s perceptions and experience of the intervention during follow-up. Data was analysed using a phenomenological framework and themes were identified related to women’s experience of making fertility decisions after attending the FAC clinic. The overarching theme regarding the women’s lived experience of making fertility decisions after attending the FAC clinic was: Fertility decisions were guided by the ‘family clock’. There were four themes: (i) Deciding to ‘get started’ by attending the FAC clinic; (ii) Sense of making informed and empowered decisions; (iii) Influence of partner status on fertility decisions; and (iv) Decisions dictated by circumstance over preference and knowledge. At follow-up, the majority (21 women, 88%) had become parents. More than half of the women said that they had not achieved their desired family size. Consideration of women’s ‘family clock’ is necessary in personalised fertility awareness interventions to enable women to achieve their family goals

Infertile men's needs and asssessment of fertility care

INTRODUCTION: Male infertility is potentially a severe, low-control stressor. There is limited knowledge of the expectations, needs, and assessment of fertility care among men with severe infertility. The aim of this study was to explore experience, expectations, needs, and assessment of fertility care among Danish men having severe male-factor infertility. METHODS: Semi-structured qualitative interview study with 10 men with very low sperm quality initiating intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment at the Fertility Clinic, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark. Five of the men participated in a follow-up interview after their first ICSI treatment. The data collection took place during November 2014 to May 2015. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Two themes were found: ‘The maze’ and ‘Desire for care’. It felt like an eternity for the men from the referral until treatment started. The men did not understand the process, and it was like being in a maze. The men saw fatherhood as something to strive for. They felt that they could not do what a man is supposed to do, and they felt pushed aside and that treatment focused on the women. The men appreciated the staff’s kindness and professionalism but desired the staff to address emotional subjects too. CONCLUSION: The process from referral to treatment felt like a maze for these men. They needed the staff to give them the opportunity to speak of the psychosocial consequences of severe male-factor infertility

Status one year after fertility assessment and counselling in women of reproductive age—a qualitative study

Introduction: Over the past 50 years women and men have postponed family formation in high-income societies. Fertility assessment and counselling has been suggested as a method to reduce delayed childbearing and its consequences. This study explored women’s perceptions of how attending a fertility assessment intervention influenced their decisions and choices regarding family formation and childbearing. Material and methods: Follow-up data from a longitudinal semi-structured qualitative interview study including 20 women aged 35–40 years seeking individual fertility counselling at the Fertility Assessment and Counselling Clinic at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. The interviews were conducted one year after their consultation. Data were analysed by qualitative content analysis. Results: The women perceived an increase in their knowledge after they had attended the counselling. The women saw the counselling as a catalyst for change—they changed their behaviour and relationship status. The women stopped thinking about the pros and cons of childbearing and acted instead. The women did not experience any regrets about acting. Some of the women felt that they were still in limbo as they were still in doubt concerning childbearing. The consultation had not given them an answer with a clear deadline in terms of delaying attempts to become pregnant, and this frustrated them. Conclusions: Our study highlights the impact of a fertility assessment and counselling intervention which included a perceived increase in knowledge. The clinic allows for an individualized approach to fertility awareness which is necessary given the unique nature of childbearing decisions