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Table 3 Major themes and subthemes organized by interview topic

From: A qualitative study of Ottawa university students’ awareness, knowledge and perceptions of infertility, infertility risk factors and assisted reproductive technologies (ART)

Interview topic

Major theme(s)

Subtheme(s)

Define infertility.

Inability to have children

Infertility associated with underlying biological/medical problem (women)

How is infertility diagnosed?

Diagnosed by doctor

Medical tests

Trying and not conceiving

Causes of female infertility?

Advanced maternal age

Lifestyle, Genetics

Causes of male infertility?

Lifestyle (men)

Genetics (men), Advanced paternal age (men)

Low sperm count (women)

Lifestyle (women)

Infertility options?

IVF

Adoption

Artificial insemination (men)

Surrogacy

Chance that IVF will produce a child

Moderate-high chance success

Popularity of IVF

Skill of physician

Expensive, uncertain, arduous

Infertility curable?

Infertility curable (men)

Promise of technology

Future developments

Options in event of personal infertility

Adoption

Natural approach

IVF

Concerns about medication side effects

 

Childlessness (men)