Psychology & Health Young women's construction of their post-cancer fertility (original) (raw)
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Young women’s construction of their post-cancer fertility
Psychology & Health, 2014
Younger women diagnosed with cancer often face compromised fertility as a result of their treatment. However, previous research has adopted a biomedical model of fertility and utilised hypothetico-deductive research methods which have not allowed for full exploration of women's subjectivity. This study explored younger women's construction of their fertility post-cancer, and their discussions of fertility with healthcare professionals, from a social constructionist epistemology. Semi-structured one-to-one interviews were conducted with eight women aged 18-26, across a variety of cancer types. Foucaultian Discourse Analysis identified three subject positions associated with fertility concerns: 'Inadequate woman: Accepting the motherhood mandate'; 'Adequate woman: Resisting the motherhood mandate'; and 'Survival of the fittest: Woman as genetically defective'. Implications of these subject positions included feelings of inadequacy, fear and devastation; feeling undesirable to romantic partners; and concern about passing on cancer-positive genes. In describing healthcare professional interactions, women adopted positions of 'Satisfied patient'; 'Passive recipient patient'; or 'Resisting the passive patient position'. Accounts of inadequate information provision were associated with anger and frustration, whereas feeling adequately informed was associated with satisfaction at making decisions about fertility preservation. These results suggest that fertility is of importance to young women cancer survivors, and that compromised fertility can negatively impact subjectivity.
2007
This thesis considers the impact on growing up among young people diagnosed in their teens with cancer and told that fertility impairment may result. The exploratory study informed by grounded theory recruited seventeen males and twenty-one females (overall take-up 35 per cent). Single in-depth interviews were conducted in two age groups-13 to 21; 21 and over. Five were parents. Findings were considered theoretically within lifespan approaches and resilience theory. Protective or risk factors were identified within the approach of participants or those around themincluding professionals and services, family members, friends and romantic partners. Reactions ranged from being little troubled to deep distress. Strength of desire to parent and the stigma of infertility heightened concerns as did feelings of having little control over fertility outcome. Concerns were easedbut not removedwith the provision of regular, unambiguous information, access to help with strategy building, presence of stored gametes, hope of retention of reproductive function, availability of confidantes including friends and romantic partners, positive experience of disclosure and achievement of parenthood. Across all spheres, fertility matters were raised less frequently than were other cancer matters by participants or those around them. This was only helpful when it reflected protective communication or low concern. The personal and social meaning of fertility matters, including fertile identity implications, appeared more influential than age and life stage and was dynamic across time and context. Gender too carried social as well as biological challenges, including around fertility analysis. Where return to 'normality' was prioritised, fertility concerns were marginalised but presented periodic threats. Although many reported gaining strength through having had cancer none did so in relation to fertility matters. For some, fertility concerns overtook those associated with cancer.
Loss, uncertainty, or acceptance: subjective experience of changes to fertility after breast cancer
Loss, uncertainty, or acceptance: subjective experience of changes to fertility after breast cancer This qualitative study examines the subjective experience of infertility in a large sample of Australian women with breast cancer. Participants were 1830 women, average age 54, who responded to an email invitation to complete an online survey on sexual well-being and fertility concerns after breast cancer. 24.6% (n = 452) reported that cancer had affected their fertility; 21.3% (n = 391) did not know their fertility status. In thematic analysis of open-ended responses provided by 381 women about changes to fertility status, reactions to infertility, and experiences of information and interventions to assist fertility, five themes were identified: 'Negative responses to infertility and early menopause'; 'Sexual changes associated with menopause and infertility'; 'Uncertainty and anxiety about fertility status'; 'Information and fertility preservation'; 'Accept-ance of the end of fertility'. These findings confirm previous reports that infertility and premature menopause are a significant cause of anxiety for many women with breast cancer. However, some women closer to natural menopause, or who had completed their families, reported acceptance of changed fertility status. Accounts of deficits in information provision and fertility counselling suggest an urgent need for accessible and comprehensive information about fertility and cancer to be developed and evaluated, as well as education and training of health professionals in addressing fertility concerns following cancer.
European Journal of Cancer Care, 2009
Male and female experiences of having fertility matters raised alongside a cancer diagnosis during the teenage and young adult yearse cc_1003 381..390 M.A. CRAWSHAW, phd, senior lecturer, Discussion and management of potential reproductive health sequelae of adolescent cancer are essential and challenging components of care for the multidisciplinary team. Despite this, research has been limited to specific experiences (e.g. sperm banking) or fertility-related concerns of adult survivors. This grounded theory study of 38 male and female survivors of adolescent cancer aged 16-30 years drew on in-depth single interviews to map the range of experiences of being advised that treatment might affect fertility. Strong support for being told at around diagnosis was found regardless of gender, age, incapacity or availability of fertility preservation services. Age and life stage appeared less significant for impact than the perceived level of threat to personal and social well-being. Women were more likely to achieve lower levels of comprehension about the physiological impact, to report later distress from lack of fertility preservation services and to revisit more frequently those decisions made by the few offered fertility preservation. Men found decision making about sperm banking straightforward on the whole and reported satisfaction with having the choice regardless of outcome. Findings suggest that young people can cope with this information alongside diagnosis especially when professional and parental support is proportionate to the particular impact on them.
Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences, 2016
Introduction: Fertility counselling for young women newly diagnosed with cancer is an important field of preconceptional counselling. This qualitative, small-scale study explored how young women newly diagnosed with cancer experienced specialized fertility preservation counselling and treatment in the public Danish health care system. Methods: Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with five women below 40 years recently diagnosed with cancer. All women received fertility counselling by a fertility specialist at the Fertility Clinic, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Denmark before initiation of cancer treatment. Participants were interviewed at a place chosen by them, and interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using systematic text condensation developed by Malterud and inspired by Giorgi's phenomenological analysis. Results: None of the participants were aware that chemotherapy could destroy their eggs. The participants described how specialized fertility counselling and fertility preservation contributed to a belief in life after cancer, which gave them hope that they would survive their cancer disease. Further, the women described how the possibility of fertility preservation removed a huge concern and enabled them to concentrate on their cancer treatment and on getting better. Conclusion: Overall, the specialized fertility counselling and treatment to preserve fertility was highly valued. The women felt it gave them a choice about their future fertility. The fertility expert presented the various fertility-preserving scenarios, and the women were content that they had an actual choice.
Acta Oncologica, 2015
background. Being diagnosed with cancer constitutes not only an immediate threat to health, but cancer treatments may also have a negative impact on fertility. Retrospective studies show that many survivors regret not having received fertility-related information and being offered fertility preservation at time of diagnosis. This qualitative study investigates newly diagnosed cancer patients' experiences of fertility-related communication and how they reason about the risk of future infertility. Material and methods. Informants were recruited at three cancer wards at a university hospital. Eleven women and 10 men newly diagnosed with cancer participated in individual semi-structured interviews focusing on three domains: experiences of fertility-related communication, decision-making concerning fertility preservation, and thoughts and feelings about the risk of possible infertility. Data was analyzed through qualitative content analysis. results. The analysis resulted in three sub-themes, 'Getting to know', 'Reacting to the risk' and 'Handling uncertainty', and one main theme 'Women more vulnerable when facing risk for infertility', indicating that women reported more negative experiences related to patient-provider communication regarding fertility-related aspects of cancer treatment, as well as negative emotional reactions to the risk of infertility and challenges related to handling uncertainty regarding future fertility. The informants described distress when receiving treatment with possible impact on fertility and used different strategies to handle the risk for infertility, such as relying on fertility preservation or thinking of alternative ways to achieve parenthood. The negative experiences reported by the female informants may be related to the fact that none of the women, but almost all men, had received information about and used fertility preservation. conclusions. Women newly diagnosed with cancer seem to be especially vulnerable when facing risk for treatmentinduced infertility. Lack of shared decision-making concerning future fertility may cause distress and it is therefore necessary to improve the fertility-related communication targeted to female cancer patients.
European Journal of Cancer Care, 2010
Psychosocial research into cancer-related fertility has concentrated on fertility preservation or adult survivors' concerns. This study reports on its hitherto unreported impact over the time from diagnosis to survivorship. Thirty-eight men and women aged <30, diagnosed as teens, were recruited to an exploratory qualitative study. Analysis used the constant comparison method, considered conceptually within a lifespan approach. Four key experiences of managing fertility matters influenced, or were influenced by, the aftermath of cancer treatment: