LAND OF FIRE, HEARTS OF ICE: PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE INVOLUNTARY CHILDLESSNESS IN AZERBAIJAN

Bahar Graefen, Aytan Abdullayeva, Araz Jabrayilov, Gulgaz Alakbarova, Khayala Tahmazi, Jamila Gurbanova, Nadeem Fazal

Abstract


Involuntary childlessness is a common and distressing problem affecting millions of couples worldwide. This phenomenon can have a profound impact on the psychological, emotional, and social well-being of individuals and couples, leading to feelings of grief, shame, and social isolation. This study aims to examine the psychological factors related to involuntary childlessness in Azerbaijan specifically. Electronic databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, Proquest, Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing, and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Scopus were used as well as hand searching. Grey literature was searched using Google and Google Scholar, and the snowballing method was used to identify additional sources. The findings underscore the importance of integrating psychological care into fertility treatment programs and training medical professionals to provide holistic care to patients undergoing fertility treatment. To address the psychological impact of infertility, it is recommended that medical education, psychological services, and medical-psychological examination and treatment procedures be implemented at a national level. Further research should also be conducted to determine the effectiveness of psychotherapy for infertility-related issues, and appropriate psychosocial rehabilitation plans should be developed and implemented based on the results.

 

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childlessness, infertility, psychology, mental health, Azerbaijan

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejphs.v6i2.158

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