A Constructivist Analysis of the Management of Infertility in Iranian Women

The main focus of social construction is on the procedures by which individuals and groups participate in developing meaning and social products. Since infertility leads to the inability to properly play social roles, it is often associated with socio-psychological consequences. The present study aimed to perform a constructivist analysis of the process of managing infertility in Iranian women. This qualitative study was based on the constructivist grounded theory. Purposive sampling was initiated at Valiasr and Avicenna fertility centers in Tehran, Iran and continued theoretically. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 30 infertile women, as well as observation and field notes. Data analysis was performed using the MAXQDA10 software and the method developed by Charmaz. Based on the principles of social constructivism by the changes in each of the elements of the social construction of infertility, changes in the other factors and their effects on each other lead to various experiences of infertility. The constructivist analysis of the management process of infertility in the present study indicated that infertility has a complex interaction with social relations, expectations, and social needs. Therefore, social feedback is of paramount importance to infertile women. According to social constructivism, the most important decisions regarding infertility (e.g., treatment and its type, terminating treatment, adoption, and other relevant issues) reflect the ideology and social structure of the community where infertile women live. From the perspective of social constructivism, the process of managing infertility is a social construct that is influenced by several factors. In addition, the elements of social and cultural structures play a pivotal role in developing, maintaining, and changing this process. Therefore, all the influential factors and elements of infertility must be considered in the codification of supportive systems for infertile individuals.