Table 5.
Trying to conceive in general themes, sub-themes and example quotes from telephone interviews about use of ovulation tests
| Themes | Sub-themes | Sample quote (participant ID number)a |
|---|---|---|
| 9. NICE guidance | 9.1 Unrealistic expectations | “I know the NHS say you are supposed to try every other day, but sometimes, that’s just not possible, for lots of different reasons”. (2) |
| 9.2 No energy | “It kind of makes sense, sometimes it’s a bit more difficult, when you are both really, really tired, if you do work you know.” (1) | |
| 9.3 No inclination | “Having intercourse every other day is just not possible, we don’t have the inclination either.” (2) | |
| 9.4 Pressure on relationship | “Yes we did have sex every other day, it put quite a lot of pressure on your relationship, because you are not doing intercourse for enjoyment, only to try for a baby.” (7) | |
| 9.5 Sex as a chore | “Yes, every other day, it becomes a bit of a chore rather than a pleasure after a while.” (26) | |
| 9.6 Not enjoyable | “I was a bit fed up at the end, we both said that, last month we decided we weren’t going to be like that, it was too clinical, it wasn’t fun, because at the end of the day although you want an outcome, if it isn’t fun there is no point and at the end it was like that too clinical.” (28) | |
| 9.7 Guessing | “Just taking a stab in the dark.” (7) | |
| 10. Emotional experience | 10.1 Why is it not happening? | “It wasn’t because of the study, and I think I would have felt like that anyway. I mean we are still trying for a baby and every time I get my period I feel frustrated and annoyed, so, no I don’t think it was really any extra pressure from what I feel anyway.” (17) |
| “It [the OT] takes out the spontaneity and puts pressure on your partner, but then that’s true of any type of fertility tracking, whether its temperature or mucus or whatever.” (19) | ||
| 10.2 What will be will be | “Because life sometimes gets in the way, we both work full time and you know you think if it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen.” (2) |
aParticipant demographic details are listed against their ID number in Additional file 1: Table S1