Post by Rizwana Roomaney

Sharing our latest research exploring the psychosocial aspects of infertility in the Middle East. Infertility is not only a medical condition—it is deeply social and psychological. In many Middle Eastern contexts, where cultural expectations around reproduction are strongly embedded, the inability to conceive can profoundly affect identity, relationships, and well-being. In this scoping review, we analysed 197 papers. Our findings highlight several critical insights: 🔹 Infertility is consistently linked to distress, shame, and diminished self-esteem 🔹 Women experience disproportionately higher psychological burden due to gendered expectations and stigma 🔹 Stigma is present not only in families and communities, but also within healthcare interactions 🔹 Religion plays a central role as a coping mechanism, offering meaning and resilience 🔹 Social support is a key protective factor—but access to culturally sensitive psychological care remains limited Importantly, while some interventions show promise, there is a clear lack of rigorously evaluated psychological support programmes in this context. This work highlights an urgent need to: ✔️ Expand research beyond Western contexts ✔️ Develop culturally responsive mental health interventions ✔️ Address stigma at both community and healthcare levels We hope this research contributes to more inclusive, contextually grounded understandings of infertility and supports the development of meaningful psychosocial care. Thank you to an amazing research team and to Warona Mateane for leading the process! Mariam Salie Dan Jenkins Margaret Mutumba Nakalembe Cheryl Eder Zana Vorster #Infertility #MentalHealth #GlobalHealth #WomensHealth #Research #MiddleEast #Psychology #HealthEquity https://lnkd.in/d3b884GY