{"paper_id":"14a8fbd1-f7bd-4925-98df-01d204803827","body_text":"ABSTRACT\nEndometriosis affects roughly 10 percent of women of reproductive age worldwide and may contribute to infertility. Women with endometriosis have compromised childbearing abilities and have become targets of stigmatisation. The rise of online communities has provided patients with alternative access to share social support compared to traditional offline support. This study examined how Chinese women with endometriosis exchanged social support within online communities and further explored whether their participation has enhanced their sense of empowerment. By conducting participant observation of an online self-help group and in-depth interviews with 15 members, the findings revealed that Chinese women with endometriosis exchanged informational, emotional, and identity support. The social support received from the online communities empowered patients by fostering a sense of connection, self-reassurance, and self-acceptance. However, the study also found that Chinese women with endometriosis did not experience full control over their reproductive choices. Instead, social support messages reinforced their beliefs about traditional gender roles and norms, which in turn solidified their concerns about fertility and heightened their anxieties regarding the challenges of becoming a mother.\nDisclosure Statement\nNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).\nAdditional information\nFunding\nNotes on contributors\nLingwei Shao\nLingwei Shao is a lecturer at the School of Journalism and Communication, Communication University of Zhejiang, China. She earned her Ph.D. in journalism and communication from Zhejiang University, China. Her research interests include popular culture, gender studies, and audience studies.","source_license":"CC0","license_restricted":false}