Abstract
The aim of this study is to explore the way in which Chinese couples experience and
make sense of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) treatment. An
understanding of how infertile couples experience their infertility and ART treatment
is essential if the development of supportive infertility care is to be effective.
Experiential accounts of infertile Hong Kong Chinese couples have received little
attention in the literature. This study is a phenomenological one, using the Husserlian
philosophical approach. A purposive sample of 15 Hong Kong Chinese couples was
selected for interview. Each of the participant couples were followed through one
treatment cycle and interviewed separately on one, and jointly on two occasions; a
total of 60 interviews were obtained. Data was generated from taped interviews and
the researcher's field notes. Data was analyzed by using a modified Colaizzi (1978)
method. By using a couple-centred approach, rich experiential data was obtained.
Five mega themes emerged from the data: uncertainty posed by infertility, ART as a
means to achieve biological parenthood, normalising the ART treatment process,
dealing with the treatment outcome and making sense of ART treatment. The data
demonstrated that infertility posed uncertainty for the couples and that their
intentions for parenthood were shaped by personal, social and cultural factors. The
ART process revealed the stressful nature of the treatment and how the couples
attempted to normalise this by engaging in cognitive, affective and behavioural
strategies to deal with the process. When the treatment failed, the couples used
selective disclosure and spiritual faith to help them to process and accept their sense
of loss. They developed a greater emotional awareness during the course of the
treatment and afterwards, found they had gained a better sense of understanding of
its complexities and its impact on them. Consequently, the couples began to reffame
their lives and reproductive goals. The findings of this thesis will add to existing
knowledge of Hong Kong Chinese couples' experiences of infertility and the ART
treatment process. The implications for clinical practice, nursing education and
research are discussed.
