Infertility: The impact on men’s lives and mental health
” The fact that men have less knowledge about health-related issues and are less likely to seek help from health professionals has been discussed by the scientific community for several years.
The same trend is observed, of course, in cases where men deal with infertility issues.”
Infertility is an issue that affects a significant percentage of the adult population, while almost 20% of infertility cases occur solely due to low sperm count and abnormal sperm morphology. However, the impact of male infertility on men’s lives and mental health is often silenced.
“A large amount of research conducted on men who face infertility has shown that a large percentage of them experience strong stigma and a sense of loss of masculinity, as fertility is considered a key component of masculinity.”
In fact, male infertility has been linked to higher levels of stigma compared to female infertility, as it is often attributed to sexual dysfunction.
In fact, infertility is a threat to male sexuality. The stigma often experienced by men with infertility also leads to issues of self-esteem.
In particular, the fact that fertility is directly and wrongly associated with male sexual ability leads many men to experience intense mental discomfort.
Stress and mental discomfort often reach clinically significant levels.
MEN
Intertility
The intense stigma experienced by men with fertility issues can be considered a direct result of the social construction of masculinity. In fact, men are extremely limited in the ways they can perceive their bodies and health, which often results in severe mental discomfort.
Therefore, there is need for further visibility, support, guidance and empowerment of men with infertility. Denial of vulnerability, maintenance of emotional neutrality, denial of help, and emphasis on the need to look strong and invulnerable are key elements that often make men with infertility issues trapped in the dominant social narrative. The experience of men with fertility issues and its potential effects on their mental health is important to be recognized and addressed holistically, through the provision of medical and psychological support.
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