不孕夫妻於不孕歷程的反應與互動：台灣不孕女性的觀點

本研究探討台灣女性不孕症病患描述她與配偶於不孕歷程的反應與互動狀況。十六位台灣女性參與本研究，均為原發性不孕症患者，平均年齡為33.31歲，平均結婚6.50年，且曾在台灣南部一家醫學中心的不孕症治療中心接受治療，並且已完成至少一次不孕的療程，平均接受不孕症治療約4.16年。本研究採用現象學質化取向Colaizzi (1978)所提出的 Duquesne method (引自 McLeod, 2001) ，進行深度訪談與資料分析。發現不孕女性認為與其配偶相較，承受較高的不孕壓力，與擔負較重的不孕醫療責任。女性為不孕醫療歷程的主要行動者與決策者，其配偶被視為被動配合者。女性較男性更快進入不孕歷程中的覺察期、移動期、與投入期，但傾向較慢離開投入期，進入解決期，意即當女性仍願意持續嘗試醫療時，男性通常已開始考慮進入解決期。台灣夫妻經歷不孕的歷程速度與投入的深度有所不同，女性具較強烈的動機進行不孕醫療，且較其配偶更為投入。由於夫妻於不孕歷程常處於不同的階段，易引發衝突。女性認為投入期為夫妻衝突最劇烈的時期，她們認為不孕為人生重大危機，迫切需求配偶的支持與同理，最後，臨床、研究、與教育訓練的相關議題亦被探討。

關鍵字

不孕夫妻；不孕女性；不孕歷程

並列摘要

The purpose of this study was to describe sixteen Taiwanese female infertility patients’ viewpoints on her reactions toward and interactions with her spouse during the process of infertility. Sixteen participants from the middle or higher socioeconomic status from southern Taiwan averaged 33.31 years old and had been married an average of 6.5 years. The women had completed at least one cycle of infertility treatment and averaged 4.16 years of medical infertility treatment. A “ Duquesne method” of phenomenological qualitative analysis proposed by Colaizzi (1978) (cited from Mcleod, 2001) was adopted in order to collect and analyze data. The participants reported a higher degree of stress than their spouses, and carried a larger burden of duty throughout infertility treatment. The women viewed themselves as playing the role of decision-makers and actionists in dealing with infertility problems. when looking at the process of infertility closely, these participants tended to get involved in the phases of dawning, mobilization, and immersion sooner than their spouses, and were inclined to stay in the phase of immersion longer and leave this phase later than their spouses. Men were likely to consider terminating medical interventions earlier than women, especially when the women insisted on infertility treatment. In summary, women were apt to get involved with infertility processes sooner and more deeply, and devoted more effort toward infertility treatment with a stronger motivation than their spouses. Because wives and husbands might be occupied in different phases of the infertility process, they might more easily engage in conflicts. Participants also identified the immersion phase as the most difficult time, in which the couple encountered a high degree of stress and conflict. The participants viewed infertility itself and the process of infertility as significant life crises, and acknowledged a need for support and caring from their spouses. Finally, implications for mental health clinicians, researchers, and educators/trainers were delineated.