A qualitative study on the experience of acupuncture treatment in infertile women

Eun Sil Min; Myeong Soo Lee; Mi-Kyoung Lee; Miyoung Lee; Eunseop Kim; Eunhye Song; Myung-Haeng Hur

doi:10.1016/j.imr.2020.100686

A qualitative study on the experience of acupuncture treatment in infertile women

Integr Med Res. 2021 Sep;10(3):100686. doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2020.100686. Epub 2020 Oct 29.

Authors

Eun Sil Min¹, Myeong Soo Lee², Mi-Kyoung Lee³, Miyoung Lee³, Eunseop Kim⁴, Eunhye Song⁵, Myung-Haeng Hur³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nursing, Daejeon Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea.
² Clinical Medicine Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.
³ College of Nursing, Eulji University, Daejeon, South Korea.
⁴ You & Green Women's Korean Medical Clinic, Daejeon, South Korea.
⁵ Global Collaboration Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to record and analyze the experiences of infertile women who underwent acupuncture treatment.

Methods: This is a qualitative study in which in-depth interviews were conducted with women who underwent acupuncture as a treatment for infertility from the viewpoint of phenomenology, a method of understanding human behavior in the general human and social context, and grasping the nature of the experience in depth. The study participants were 12 women who had been receiving acupuncture treatment for infertility for more than 3 months.

Results: After analyzing the statements of the participants' experiences, the main concerns regarding infertility were "embarrassed by unexpected infertility," "overwhelmed with negative feelings," "blocking and defense," "sex as a duty," and "repeatition of expectations and failures." Significant statements regarding acupuncture treatments were "body warmth," "becoming a body," "care of the mind," "last trust and hope," and "difficulties of waiting." The experience with supporter was love-hate relationships, and the experience of the children's meaning was expressed as "precious beings in life."

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that acupuncture treatment for infertility in women results in positive thinking through changes in the body as well as through increased hope. Participants experienced a feeling of warmth in their bodies, regular menstrual cycle, and reduced fatigue through acupuncture treatment, indicating a state of psychological stability.

Keywords: Acupuncture; Infertility; Interview; Qualitative study.