Factors Associated with Marital Satisfaction of Women Under Infertility Treatments

Kim,  Mi Ok; Park,  Jung Suk; Nam,  Hyun A

doi:2016.20.3.228

J Korean Soc Matern Child Health > Volume 20(3); 2016 > Article

Journal of The Korean Society of Maternal and Child Health 2016;20(3):228-238.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21896/jksmch.2016.20.3.228 Published online September 30, 2016.

Factors Associated with Marital Satisfaction of Women Under Infertility Treatments

Mi Ok Kim¹, Jung Suk Park², Hyun A Nam³

¹Department of Nursing, Namseoul University, Korea
²College of Nursing, Kosin University, Korea
³Department of Nursing, Pyeongtaek University, Korea

난임 치료 중인 여성의 결혼만족도에 영향을 미치는 요인

김미옥¹, 박정숙², 남현아³

¹남서울대학교 간호학과
²고신대학교
³호원대학교

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to determine the infertility stress, marital intimacy, and marital satisfaction of women under infertility treatment, and to reveal associated factors of marital satisfaction.
Methods
As a descriptive correlation study, data was collected from 174 women under infertility treatment. Data was analysed using χ2-test, t-test, ANOVA, pearson's correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression.
Results
Infertility stress, marital intimacy, and marital satisfaction averaged 3.20±.3 (range of scale 1~5), 3.53±.5, and 3.74±.6, respectively. The marital satisfaction varied with a statistical significance by the spouse’s attitude about infertility treatment and financial burden on infertility treatments. Marital satisfaction had a positive correlation with infertility stress (r=.526, p<.001) and marital intimacy (r=.637, p<.001). We also identified the marital intimacy as the most influencing factor and the infertility stress as the second most influencing factor on the infertile women’s marital satisfaction.
Conclusion
This research provided a valuable opportunity to recognize infertility as a marital, family, and societal problem, which calls for relational support as well as personal support. The infertility experts need to recognize both the personal and relational aspects of the infertility problem, and make various efforts to promote the reproductive health of the infertile patients.

Key Words: infertile women, marital satisfaction, stress, intimacy