Date of Conferral

5-22-2024

Date of Award

May 2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Counselor Education and Supervision

Advisor

Mary Kate Reese

Abstract

According to recent studies, infertility remains one of the largest and most important reproductive health concerns among Nigerians. Despite the growing awareness of infertility in Nigerian women, there remains a significant gap in the research addressing the prevalence of the psychological and sociocultural experiences associated with involuntary childlessness in Nigerian women over age 50 who are living in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate the psychological and sociocultural lived experiences of eight Nigerian women diagnosed with primary infertility, age 50 years and older, who currently reside in the United States and who have completed their reproductive journey. Using a qualitative approach with a phenomenological research design, this study employed semi structured interviews, yielding resultant data that were analyzed and coded. Four prominent themes and nine subthemes were identified: (a) relational issues with others (subthemes of discrimination, marital conflict, and social pressure); (b) emotional impact (subthemes of sense of loss, internalized beliefs about self/questioning self, depression, and anxiety, (c) barriers (subthemes of lack of support or understanding from others and cultural beliefs and expectations_; and (d) treatment experiences (subthemes of finding the right representation in counseling and psychotropic medications). Nigerian women with infertility may benefit from the results of this study through the growing awareness of the psychosocial impact of infertility. Furthermore, the results of this study can inform the design of culturally appropriate counseling interventions to help diminish the stigma around help-seeking. This inclusion could enhance the initiation and sustainability of positive social change.

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