Identifying Occupational Needs of Women Undergoing Infertility Treatment: A Qualitative Study

The purpose of this study is to examine experiences of infertility treatment to identify occupational needs and areas of occupational disruption. The data collection consisted of 13 in-depth qualitative interviews collected through recorded interviews via online video with 13 women who have completed infertility treatments. Inductive data analysis found a common theme of occupational disruptions among the women interviewed. The next level of analysis identified subcategories that aligned with the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework. The disruptions in occupations in this study were sleep and rest, leisure, hygiene, work, childcare, sexual activity, and health management. The results include examples of the complexity of women's experiences across occupations. The identified occupational disruptions demonstrate a gap in current infertility care and create an opportunity for occupational therapists to develop individualized intervention plans and offer holistic, client-centered treatment.