Exploring Future Directions for Korean Medical Infertility Programs: Insights from In-Depth Interviews with Female Participants

Article information

J Korean Med. 2025;46(1):103-122

Publication date (electronic) : 2025 March 01

doi : https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.25008

Seul Gi Lee ¹^,^§

, Yelim Lee ¹^,^§

, Hyein Jeong ²^,^§

, Byunghee Choi ³

, Hanul Kim ³

, Kyeong Han Kim ⁴^,

¹Department of Korean Medicine, Woosuk University

²Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University

³KM policy team, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine

⁴Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Woosuk University

Correspondence to: Kyeong Han Kim, College of Korean Medicine, Woosuk University, 61 seonneomeo 3-gil, wansan-gu, Jeonju 54986, Republic of Korea, Tel: +82-63-290-9031, E-mail: solip922@hanmail.net

^§

These authors contributed equally.

Received 2025 January 22; Revised 2025 February 18; Accepted 2025 February 20.

Abstract

Objectives

This study aimed to analyze participants' opinions on the Korean Medicine Infertility Support Program through interviews.

Methods

In-depth interviews were conducted with six people who participated in the Korean medicine infertility program, and each interview lasted approximately 30 minutes in August 2024.

Results

Four participants who had undergone Western medical infertility treatment reported difficulties with it. All six participants in the study were eligible for the infertility program and received treatment with Korean medicine. They were satisfied with their pregnancy or experienced physical and psychological improvements. Some participants believed that combining Western and Korean medical treatments could have a positive impact on infertility treatment. Participants suggested improvements such as better promotion, a more streamlined application process, standardized treatment protocols, and expanding the target population.

Conclusions

This study provides valuable insights into the experiences of participants in the Korean medicine infertility program and highlights the need to compare Western and Korean medical approaches to infertility treatment.

Keywords: Infertility; Subfertility; Interview; Korean Medicine Treatment; Infertility support program

Table 1

List of Questionnaire

Table 2

Basic Information of Interviewee

Table 3

The Extracted Themes of the Study

Table 4

Basic information on the Western medical procedure

Table 5

Basic information on the Korean medical procedure

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