Pycho-Social Dynamics, Challenges and Interventions: Exploratory Multiple Case Study of Urban Women Facing Primary Infertility
Author: Hafiza Amina Mahmud*, Maryam Batool, Maryam Zafar
Lecturer, Department of Gender and Development Studies, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore Pakistan.
Published Date: 2025-12-01
Keywords: Infertility, psychosocial challenges, coping mechanism, interventions, urban women, qualitative case study, gendered expectations, cultural norms, emotional suffering, gender-sensitive counseling.
Abstract:
Infertility remains a significant yet often neglected reproductive health issue that profoundly affects women’s psychological well-being and social functioning. The present research explores the socio-psychological challenges, coping mechanisms, and available interventions among urban women facing primary infertility. Using a qualitative multiple exploratory case study, data were collected from ten women residing in metropolitan Lahore who were identified through snowball sampling. Semi-structured, audio-recorded interviews were conducted after obtaining informed consent, and thematic analysis was applied to the transcribed data. Four overarching themes emerged: (1) Infertility as a Life-Course Crisis, (2) Socio-Emotional Burden and Stigma, (3) Support Systems and Social Networks, (4) Coping Mechanisms and Interventions. The study explored ten interrelated cases titled: (1) marital strain and emotional distance, (2) abandonment and reconstructed hope, (3) professional stigma and double burden, (4) faith and adaptive strength, (5) cooperative spousal support, (6) domestic violence and patriarchal punishment, (7) adaptive motherhood through adoption, (8) medical fatigue and social alienation, (9) isolation and silence, and (10) spiritual restoration. Collectively, these narratives reveal that infertility is not merely a biomedical condition, but a profound socio-psychological experience shaped by gendered expectations, stigma, and cultural norms. Participants reported emotional suffering, social marginalization, and strained relationships but also demonstrated resilience through faith, familial support, career engagement, and acceptance of destiny. The study emphasizes the need for gender-sensitive counseling, awareness programs, and culturally contextualized psychosocial interventions to promote wellbeing and empowerment of women experiencing infertility in urban Pakistan.
