1997 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Women's reality who had achieved pregnancy after infertility : study of their parenthood and couple's marital and sexual relationship

Research Project

Project/Area Number	07672518
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Nursing
Research Institution	Niigata University
Principal Investigator	SAYAMA Mitsuko Niigata University, College of Biomedical Technology, midwifery nursing, Professor, 医療技術短期大学部, 教授 (50149184)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	SATOH Etsu Niigata University, College of Biomedical Technology, Midwifery nursing, Assista, 医療技術短期大学部, 助手 (20169410) SADAKATA Mieko Niigata University, College of Biomedical Technology, Nursing, Assistant, 医療技術短期大学部, 助手 (00179532) MINATO Takako Niigata University, College of Biomedical Technology, Midwifery nursing, Lecture, 医療技術短期大学部, 講師 (60272853)
Project Period (FY)	1995 – 1997
Keywords	infertility / infertility treatment / parenthood / maternal-child attachment / selfesteem / sexuality / marital relationship / female
Research Abstract	Interviews of 22 females who had achieved pregnancy after infertility treatment were conducted in this qualitative study to identify emotional problems of transition to parenthood and the couple's marital and sexual relationship after pregnancy. In general, most of them had established good parenthood, but the multiple pregnant mothers were facing mental difficulty towards the babies. An unexpected spontaneous pregnancy after they had given up a wish for pregnancy caused confusion. Especially when the husband and wife accepted the pregnancy differently, the relationship between them was strained. When the woman was feeling denied due to infertility, pregnancy contributed as the means and the goal of regaining self-respect, while creating a gap between the ideal and the reality. Pregnancy was the only purpose of intercourse during infertility treatment, thus causing a new conflict of views towards sexuality between the couple. This investigation showed pregnancy after infertility treatment did not necessarily solve all the problems caused by infertility but brought out a new conflict in many cases.