Research Article
Psychological Experience of Couple Infertility Among Women in Senegal
Adama Koundoul*
,
Mansata Diehiou,
Amadou Kane Gueye,
Mame Diarra Ndiaye,
Abdou Khadre Dieng,
Diariatou Seck,
Sokhna Seck,
El Hadji Matar Ba,
Philippe Marc Moreira
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 2, June 2026
Pages:
30-40
Received:
17 March 2026
Accepted:
28 March 2026
Published:
10 April 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.ajpn.20261402.11
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Abstract: Introduction: Infertility is defined as the inability of a couple to achieve a clinical pregnancy after at least twelve months of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse. It is a major reproductive health problem worldwide, affecting approximately 80 million people. In Senegal, infertility represents a significant health and social concern due to its prevalence, its psychosocial repercussions, and the burden of suffering it inflicts on affected couples. The objective of the study was to evaluate the psychological experience of infertility among women in couples. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective, cross-sectional and descriptive study carried out over the period from October 11, 2021 to October 17, 2022 at the maternity ward of the National Hospital Center “Dalal Jamm” in Dakar. This included women in a relationship for one year who were consulted for pregnancy and those followed for infertility. Data was collected by direct interview, entered into the KOBO application, processed and analyzed using Excel and SPSS software. Results: Out of a total of 100 women surveyed, the average age was 34 years. The age group of [30-37 years] was the most represented. The secondary education level was the most represented 31%. The liberal profession was 37%, Muslim women 95% and those in their first marriage 85%. Women had been cohabiting with their partner for more than 5 years in 54% of cases. Primary infertility was 61%. The spouse participated in the explorations in 68.8% of cases. Infertility was of female origin in 51% of cases. When the diagnosis was announced, women felt hopeless in 29.6% of cases. Chronic psychological manifestations such as anxiety (82%), depression (73%), self-defense mechanisms such as isolation (62%), affiliation (20%) and intellectualization (13%) were not noted in the patients. The types of help expressed by patients were medical (68%), financial (37%), spiritual (23%), and psychological (20%). Conclusion: Infertility is not only a reproductive health issue, but also a mental health problem due to the psychological suffering it causes. Psychological and medical care (PMA) would allow women to reduce psychological suffering and increase the chances of pregnancy.
Abstract: Introduction: Infertility is defined as the inability of a couple to achieve a clinical pregnancy after at least twelve months of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse. It is a major reproductive health problem worldwide, affecting approximately 80 million people. In Senegal, infertility represents a significant health and social concern due to i...
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Editorial
Management of Trichotillomania by a Meaningful Competing Response Combined to Various Pharmacological Interventions (Al Ain Technique)
Mohammed Ahmed Allam*
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 2, June 2026
Pages:
41-46
Received:
11 March 2026
Accepted:
25 March 2026
Published:
13 April 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.ajpn.20261402.12
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Views:
Abstract: This technique includes using a tight scarf on the head and a comb plus or minus different pharmacological interventions. The tight scarf serves as a barrier for the first attempt to pull hair. If hair pulling is repeated, then head combing would be the second mechanism followed by putting the head scarf again. The hair combing is the meaningful competing response when feeling an urge to pull out hair, replacing knee squeezing and other meaningless competing responses. The overall impression by the patients and their families was that, this technique helped reducing hair pulling out and improvement was in average of 50% as per patients’ self-rated improvement and families’ observations to areas of hair loss. The fifty percent improvement included reduction in hair pulling frequency, allowing hair regrowth and reduced areas of baldness. The idea of Al Ain technique (ABT) - Al Ain is a city in UAE - stems from tailoring the behavioral intervention plan around the individualized patient’s behaviors and daily habits also tailoring the behavioral plan around the patients’ whereabouts to suit different patients with different circumstances and preferences in a meaningful way. This technique requires to be repeated in different parts of the world to hopefully replicate the results by other colleagues to have better evidence based status above case series.
Abstract: This technique includes using a tight scarf on the head and a comb plus or minus different pharmacological interventions. The tight scarf serves as a barrier for the first attempt to pull hair. If hair pulling is repeated, then head combing would be the second mechanism followed by putting the head scarf again. The hair combing is the meaningful co...
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