https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105318764283 Journal of Health Psychology 1–11 © The Author(s) 2018 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/1359105318764283 journals.sagepub.com/home/hpq Introduction Infertility involves a number of aspects that can lead to emotional strains and difficulties for the couples concerned, including loss of control, identity issues, stressful and invasive treatment, and repeated failure and losses (Chachamovich et al., 2010; Glover et al., 2009; Greil et al., 2010; Rockliff et al., 2014; Schmidt, 2006). But these difficulties may also come with positive aspects; that is, some couples find in infertility and its treatment the bonding opportunities that reinforce their relationship. Indeed, quantitative research shows that 20–30 percent of couples undergoing fertility treatment report marital benefits linked to their fertility problems (Peterson et al., 2011; Schmidt et al., 2005). The marital benefits identified in previous studies have been measured using the following items: “Infertility has strengthened our relation- ship” and “Infertility has brought us closer.” Yet, these quantitative items remain general and provide little information about the specific nature of marital benefits or the meaning ascribed to the positive relationship changes for couples as they go through fertility treatment. Moving forward together, stronger, and closer: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of marital benefits in infertile couples Marie-Soleil Sauvé 1 , Katherine Péloquin 1 and Audrey Brassard 2 Abstract Some couples find in infertility the bonding opportunities that reinforce their relationship. Using an interpretative phenomenological analysis, this study examined marital benefits in three couples seeking fertility treatment. Interviews revealed five types of benefits: being engaged in a shared hardship, feeling closer to one another, feeling reassured in the relationship, developing a satisfying communication and support behaviors, and having faith in the couple’s capacity to face adversity. A dyadic analysis also illustrated how marital benefits developed in each couple. Marital benefits nourished marital satisfaction, thus underscoring their importance to help couples cope through fertility treatment. Keywords couple, dyadic analysis, infertility, interpretative phenomenological analysis, marital benefits 1 Université de Montréal, Canada 2 Université de Sherbrooke, Canada Corresponding author: Katherine Péloquin, Département de psychologie, Université de Montréal, CP 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC H3C 2J7, Canada. Email: katherine.peloquin@umontreal.ca 764283HPQ 0 0 10.1177/1359105318764283Journal of Health PsychologySauvé et al. research-article 2018 Article