Psychoanalytic Understanding of Repeated In-Vitro Fertilization Trials, Failures, and Repetition Compulsion

Mali Mann

doi:10.4172/2161-038x.1000140

Abstract

Rapid advances in reproductive technologies confront us with the need to understand the complex psychological impact on participating parties. Understanding of repetition compulsion and psychoanalytic understanding of repeated IVF trials and failures is an important dynamic in some of the patients who resort to these methods. The discussion of two detailed case histories, illustrate how infertility traumata were re-experienced compulsively during the course of treatment. The unconscious self-induced traumatization resulted from the compulsion to repeat an earlier repressed trauma. The denial of multiple and repeated failures illustrate a complex compilation of several unprocessed losses that the individuals have yet to finish mourning. In addition, the lack of acceptance of a failure to conceive presented itself as a technical challenge offering an understanding of repeated past experiences in the context of the transference and counter transference paradigm. Each new IVF cycle followed the unprocessed mourning of a loss with persistence to repeat. The repeating of the past experiences over and over in a rather fast-paced use of ARTs shows the strong evidence for dynamic repetition compulsion phenomena. The denial of the failure to conceive can linger on, becoming a long process with unfinished mourning throughout the life cycle. There is a need for psychoanalytic thinking and understanding of psychological implications of the use of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

Highlights

Recent advances in reproductive technology and the increased use of techniques based upon it have created a need for psychoanalytic thinking and understanding of the psychological implications of InVitro Fertilization (IVF) and other similar procedures
The way in which these women react to the trauma of their infertility will determine a number of factors, including how they choose to use a donor egg, donor sperm, or surrogate mother
In her paper “Infertility in the Age of Technology”, Zallusky [9] highlighted the effect of infertility on analytic process. She elaborates on the permeability of the boundaries between analyst and patient and between fantasy and action in psychoanalytic work with women who are infertile and resort to Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)

Summary

Introduction

Recent advances in reproductive technology and the increased use of techniques based upon it have created a need for psychoanalytic thinking and understanding of the psychological implications of InVitro Fertilization (IVF) and other similar procedures. The way in which these women react to the trauma of their infertility will determine a number of factors, including how they choose to use a donor egg, donor sperm, or surrogate mother.

Results

Conclusion