A Review on the Impact of Male Factor Infertility on Men’s Self-esteem

Description

Page: 490-497

Ankita Menon and R. Baskar (Department of Social Work, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu)

According to the World Health Organization, male infertility is defined as the incapacity of a male to conceive a fertile female after at least a year of consistent, unprotected sexual activity (WHO Infertility prevalence estimates, 1990-2021). Recently, there has been an increasing focus on male infertility; however, there is still a gap in understanding and addressing men’s emotional aspects of male infertility. The aim of this research paper is to form an evidence-based approach to understanding the impact of male factor infertility on their self-esteem. This review study focuses on how male infertility affects their self-esteem which in turn enables us to understand how it affects their quality of life and how different coping techniques enable them to deal effectively with their self-esteem problems. A narrative synthesis approach was adopted to conduct the review. The following databases were searched using strings for acquiring the required data: PubMed, Wiley Online, Taylor and Francis online, Google Scholar, and the WHO repository. Infertility treatment has mostly focused on the physiological aspects of reproductive health, ignoring the psychological issues. Even while mental health treatments are gradually becoming more accepted in the field of reproductive care, little is known about the problems with infertile men’s self-esteem. The role of healthcare professionals in improving the mental health of infertile men is highly crucial, enabling improvement in mental health; however, only very few healthcare centres and research studies are undertaken to address their mental health needs. A more comprehensive strategy that puts infertile men’s emotional health first is desperately needed, even though medical treatments for infertility have advanced significantly. Many healthcare settings still place insufficient emphasis on men’s mental health support. Targeted psychological care, including counselling, stress reduction strategies, and self-esteem interventions, must be incorporated into infertility treatment protocols in order to effectively assist infertile males.