Introduction: Being able to reproduce is one of the basic tasks for the continuation of our species, but at the same time parenting also represents a mentally fulfilling experience for the couple. When a couple is trying to conceive a child unsuccessfully, they face enormous emotional and social pressure, since infertility represents a unique medical and sociological problem. The diagnosis of infertility can quickly become a central part of one’s identity and facing it brings suffering not only to the individual, but it tests the relationships as well. Purpose: The purpose of the diploma thesis is to present the impact of infertility on the daily life of the couple and to find out what are the challenges in the social, emotional and partnership fields experienced by women in infertile relationships and how they perceived the relationships of health professionals during their treatment. Methods: In the first part, a qualitative paradigm was used combined with a descriptive method of work, through which the professional literature in Slovenian and English language was searched with the help of the DiKul meta-analyser and the PubMed, Cobiss, Science Direct and PubPsych databases. In the second, empirical part, a qualitative paradigm was also used to perform a semi-structured interview with women in infertile relationships. The sample was selected through purposive sampling of the snowball method. Results: The study included six women from different parts of Slovenia experiencing infertility in partner relationships. In society, women feel stigmatized because infertility still represents a taboo topic. Moreover, they face many different negative emotional responses. Since the diagnosis of infertility is very much present in the daily life of a woman, it also negatively affects the partner relationship. Discussion and conclusion: Infertile couples face a variety of challenges arising from society, partnership, or personal feelings daily. Healthcare professionals are expected to give more comprehensive treatment, including more emotional support to help infertile couples embrace the diagnosis in an easier way.
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