TY - JOUR

T1 - Single mothers by choice - experiences of single women seeking treatment at a public fertility clinic in Denmark

T2 - A pilot study

AU - Steenberg, Michala

AU - Koert, Emily

AU - Schmidt, Lone

AU - Bogstad, Jeanette

AU - Sylvest, Randi

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s)

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Problem: There has been an increase in the number of single women deciding to have children through the use of medically assisted reproduction (MAR). These women are referred to as ‘single mothers by choice’ (SMC). Background: Previous studies have shown how SMC can feel stigmatised. Aim: Explore if single women seeking fertility treatment in Denmark feel stigmatised. Methods: Six single women undergoing MAR at a public fertility clinic in Denmark were interviewed. The interviews were audiotaped, anonymised, and transcribed in full, after provided written consent by the participants to take part in the study. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Findings: The women would have preferred to have a child in a relationship with a partner. Despite their dream of the nuclear family meaning a family group consisting of two parents and their children (one or more), the women choose to become SMC because motherhood was of such importance, and they feared they would otherwise become too old to have children. The participants did not experience stigma or negative responses to their decision, but they all had an awareness of the prejudices other people might have towards SMC. Conclusion: This study contributes to the understanding of the experiences of single women seeking fertility treatment in a welfare state where there are no differences in the possibilities for different social classes to seek MAR.

AB - Problem: There has been an increase in the number of single women deciding to have children through the use of medically assisted reproduction (MAR). These women are referred to as ‘single mothers by choice’ (SMC). Background: Previous studies have shown how SMC can feel stigmatised. Aim: Explore if single women seeking fertility treatment in Denmark feel stigmatised. Methods: Six single women undergoing MAR at a public fertility clinic in Denmark were interviewed. The interviews were audiotaped, anonymised, and transcribed in full, after provided written consent by the participants to take part in the study. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Findings: The women would have preferred to have a child in a relationship with a partner. Despite their dream of the nuclear family meaning a family group consisting of two parents and their children (one or more), the women choose to become SMC because motherhood was of such importance, and they feared they would otherwise become too old to have children. The participants did not experience stigma or negative responses to their decision, but they all had an awareness of the prejudices other people might have towards SMC. Conclusion: This study contributes to the understanding of the experiences of single women seeking fertility treatment in a welfare state where there are no differences in the possibilities for different social classes to seek MAR.

KW - Family building

KW - Medically assisted reproduction

KW - Qualitative research

KW - Single mothers by choice

KW - Stigma

U2 - 10.1016/j.midw.2024.104013

DO - 10.1016/j.midw.2024.104013

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38663056

AN - SCOPUS:85191173195

VL - 134

JO - Midwifery

JF - Midwifery

SN - 0266-6138

M1 - 104013

ER -