Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39966207›Full record

ArticleJournal of cancer survivorship : research and practice2026

Lived experience of comfort with sexuality and fertility for survivors of hematopoietic progenitor cell transplants: phenomenological study.

Lúcia Bacalhau, Patrícia Pontífice-Sousa

Abstract read
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Article in Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Lúcia BacalhauCenter for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Universidade Cátolica Portuguesa, Palma de Cima, 1649-023, Lisbon, Portugal. lbacalhau@ucp.pt.
Patrícia Pontífice-SousaCenter for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Universidade Cátolica Portuguesa, Palma de Cima, 1649-023, Lisbon, Portugal.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionSexuality and fertility are deeply personal and fundamental aspects of human identity and quality of life. For survivors of hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT), these areas can be profoundly affected by the physical, emotional, and social impacts of the treatment. Discomfort or lack of clarity regarding these issues can lead to long-term psychological distress, relationship challenges, and decreased overall well-being. Addressing this discomfort through research helps to fill a critical gap in supportive care, providing survivors with the tools and knowledge they need to navigate these challenges and enhance their post-treatment quality of life. PURPOSE: To grasp the scope of sexuality and fertility within the lived experiences of comfort and discomfort among allogeneic stem cell transplant survivors.

methodsWe employed a qualitative approach through van Manen's phenomenology of practice. The phenomenon was revealed via phenomenological interviews, incorporating narratives and illustrative episodes that captured the lived experiences of 20 survivors. We gathered descriptions of these experiences from participants from July 2020 to May 2021. During our phenomenological reflection on these accounts, we adhered to stages like epoché, reduction, and vocative, as outlined by van Manen (van Manen 2014).

resultsThe exploration of comfort within the realms of sexuality and fertility yielded several themes: desire and the relationship; immunosuppression as a limitation on sexual activity; the body does not correspond to desire; the future: fertility and the couple's relationship; the challenges of disclosure and intervention.

conclusionThe findings indicate that survivors have long-term challenges with sexual expression and activity, stemming from the physical constraints of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), perceptions of their immunosuppression, and the significance of their partnership, all of which translate into requirements for nursing care. IMPLICATIONS FOR CARE AND SUPPORT CANCER SURVIVORS: Considering the experiences of these participants and the observed comfort linked to the sexuality of ASCT survivors, we can contemplate the care practices and recognize sexuality as a field of action for nurses in this context to enhance comfort for these individuals.

Indexed as

Cancer SurvivorsFertilityHematopoietic Stem Cell TransplantationQuality of LifeSexualityAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchComfortFertilityLived experienceNursingPhenomenologySexualityStem cell transplantSurvivor

Identifiers

PMID39966207
PMCPMC13375690

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