Collecting Sperm In Infertility Clinics : Medical Or Sexual Practice ?

168 bio-medical consultations involving hypofertile and infertile couples were observed in two major French hospitals in 2003/2004. Consequently, 25 in-depth qualitative interviews were collected among 16 men and 9 women. All the interviews were transcripted and content analysis was performed.

Semen collection was experienced by most of these men as the starting point of a journey into an unknown situation raising high anxiety. Most of them found extremely difficult to speak about the practice. This anxiety appeared to be linked to limited and poor content of the information delivered to them, while entering the process. Men expressed various reactions such as the subjective impression to be observed while masturbating. Most of them prefered to go to the hospital without their partner and in most cases the spouse was reluctant to go with the man to the clinics. Regarding the practice of masturbation some of these men experienced some pleasure whereas others attempted to reduce it to a technical practice.

 

This qualitative study gives evidence of the vulnerability of men undergoing into the process of sperm evaluation. Feelings of shame, impotence, and of \"not being a real man\" are the majors descriptors of the experience of semen collection. Health professionals should be aware of these men difficulties when they receive them and deliver information.