Phenomenological review of depression in women experiencing infertility: an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design systematic review

OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to systematically review the qualitative literature assessing depressive symptomatology in women experiencing infertility through an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach. METHODS: This study utilised an explanatory mixed methods design to systematically review and evaluate existing themes of infertility-related depression reported in qualitative literature. After a comprehensive search across 4 online databases, the analysis was accomplished in two phases: a descriptive analysis of the frequency and distribution of the current diagnostic criteria in the qualitative studies captured by the systematic review and 2.) a constant comparative content analysis of the themes that emerge from the qualitative responses regarding depressive symptomatology. RESULTS: We identified 8 unique themes relevant to the measurement of infertility-related depression including diminished self-perception, grief, diminished self-efficacy, emotional dysregulation, fear, perceived injustice, anger, and social pressure. Three novel themes related to the measurement of infertility treatment-related depression were identified including medication administration burden, financial worry, and medical dehumanisation. CONCLUSIONS: The measurement of infertility-related depression and infertility treatment-related depression is currently concerned with capturing only what is outlined as the diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder in the DSM-5, the results of Study 1 illuminate potential avenues for measurement that may significantly augment current measurement; providing improvements to the identification of infertility-related depression in women and the support provided to this population.