Couples with infertility and the desire to conceive: examining the association between discrepancies in the desire to conceive and relationship and sexual satisfaction

Abstract

Infertility has been shown to be associated sexual and relationship dissatisfaction. This study examined one potential source of relationship distress among couples with infertility: discrepancy between partners in their desire to conceive a child. Mixed-gender couples (N = 105) were recruited through online forums, a support group, and a fertility clinic. Partners separately completed online questionnaires assessing the importance that they placed on conceiving a child and their perceptions of the importance their partner placed on conceiving a child. They also completed measures of sexual and relationship satisfaction. Women reported slightly but significantly greater desire to conceive than men. An actual discrepancy in conception desire, as well as a perceived discrepancy in conception desire, was associated with lower sexual and relationship satisfaction among woman and lower relationship satisfaction among men. There was no association between a partner's misperception of an individual's desire to conceive and that individual's relationship or sexual satisfaction. Notably, women misperceived their male partner's desire to conceive more often than men misperceived their female partner's desire to conceive. Results suggest that, for therapists working with couples with infertility, it might be beneficial to help couples acknowledge and address actual or perceived differences in their conception desires.