Health care users’ and pro-fessionals’ perspectives and experiences in fertility treatment in Switzerland – where do we stand and what do we need (HoPE).

Introduction: Infertility is a spreading phenomenon which
is expected to gain further relevance, due to the ongoing trend
to a higher age of primiparous women which has been observed
in recent decades. From the age of 35 years, infertility increases
because of the decreasing quality of the ovaries. Since 2019, fertility
preservation has been a mandatory benefit of Swiss health
insurance companies for patients with oncological diseases.
This aspect together with a general trend towards an increased
demand for consultations leads to a rising number of time intensive consultations in fertility clinics. Affected persons have
special care needs in the context of fertility treatments, and
nurses and midwives play a key role in the treatment process of
patients and their families. Consequently, the subject described
is also relevant to nursing science.
Aim of the study: The planned study aims to collect and
describe the perspectives, experiences, and needs of persons
undergoing fertility treatment as well as professionals in this
field (nurses, midwives, and physicians). Based on this, the current
care situation in reproductive medicine will be discussed
to formulate suggestions for adaptation. The implementing of a
specialized nursing/midwifery role will be examined, and recommendations
will be formulated.
Methods: To comprehensively describe the present care
situation and to identify adaptation needs, a mixed-methods
research design will be applied, involving a scoping review,
cross-sectional surveys, face-to-face qualitative interviews
(individuals/couples), and focus groups (health care professionals).
Relevance for research and practice: The study aims to
identify challenges and gaps in a specific area of health care and
helps to develop solutions and new concepts. The project sheds
light on a patient group that receives rather little attention but
is often considerably burdened. In addition, the project contributes
to the promotion of interprofessional cooperation and
should lead to an improvement in the quality of care.