Coping with infertility online: an examination of self-help mechanisms in an online infertility support group.
OBJECTIVE
To examine communication within an online infertility support group.


METHODS
A content analysis of 3500 messages posted to infertility bulletin boards.


RESULTS
The most frequently used self-help mechanisms were support or empathy (45.5%) and sharing personal experiences (45.4%), followed by the provision of information and advice (15.9%), gratitude (12.5%), friendship (9.9%), chit-chat (9.4%), requests for information or advice (6.8%) and universality (4.8%), with negative statements (0.3%) and creative expressions (0.2%) being the least frequent categories.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that online support groups can provide a viable alternative source of support for couples dealing with infertility.


CONCLUSIONS
Health care professionals interested in developing online support interventions should look to tailor support resources to the specific needs of patients at different stages of the infertility journey.
Malik
Sumaira H
SH
Institute of Work, Health and Organisations, University of Nottingham, UK. lwxsm5@nottingham.ac.uk
Coulson
Neil S
NS
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000523:psychology*; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult