Objective, Approach, and Method
We aim to gain a better understanding of the experience of parenthood among individuals who have undergone medical treatment for this purpose. Additionally, we seek insight into how individuals involved in medically assisted reproduction perceive their role. To achieve this, we rely on the first-hand experiences of the individuals themselves. The underlying principle of this research is that they are the experts in this matter. The ultimate goal is to derive insights from the empirical data (interviews) that can inform policies and ethics surrounding medically assisted reproduction.
Media and Awards
As part of our commitment to educating and informing the public as well as professionals in related fields, researchers at our group regularly share their work beyond academic journals. We publish popular-science pieces and contribute to public debates, and we present our findings at both public and academic events.
Partners
Dr. Elia Wyverkens
Elia Wyverkens is the research coordinator and lecturer at Howest University College. She is a clinical psychologist (Ghent University, 2011) and a sexologist (Ghent University, 2014), having earned her doctorate in 2015 with a thesis titled “Family Building after Donor Conception.”
Dr. Hanna Van Parys
Hanna Van Parys is a clinical psychologist who obtained her doctorate from KU Leuven in 2012. Her research interests focus on family relationships in various contexts, such as families with a depressed parent, families formed through medically assisted reproduction, and blended families. She is a clinical guest professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Ghent University and works as a relationship and family therapist within the University Psychiatric Service at UZ Gent.
On a methodological level, her interest lies mainly in the field of qualitative research methods, such as Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and microanalysis. These methods are applied to data obtained through various data collection methods, including interviews with children, couples, and families.