Infertility Counseling Research Articles

Family building using donated gametes and embryos in the UK: Recommendations for policy and practice on behalf of the British Infertility Counselling Association and the British Fertility Society in collaboration with the Association of Clinical Embryologists and the Royal College of Nurses Fertility Nurses Forum

The UK Department of Health's consultation on the future of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) presented an opportunity to review current practice in relation to donor conception (DC) and make recommendations for improving services to those seeking fertility treatment, to families with donor conceived children and those of donors, and to those seeking later information. The year 2023 marks the start of post-2005 donor conceived adults having statutory access to identifying information about their donor(s); some adults with pre-2005 donors will have access sooner if the donor(s) re-registers as ‘willing to be identified’. This paper examines current practice in UK licensed treatment centres in collecting and disseminating donor information and in supporting donors and prospective parents. Further, it considers current HFEA functions concerning DC including its responsibilities for the Register of Information and Donor Sibling Link and its approach to policy making, regulation and the release of information from these Registers to applicants. Proposals for how these functions could be carried out in the future are set out together with recommendations for national support and intermediary services. The key evidence available to support these recommendations is outlined.

Dyadic dynamics of perceived social support in couples facing infertility

Is perceived social support from partner, family, and friends associated with increased infertility-related stress? While men's perceived support did not seem to influence their partners' stress, women's perceptions of spousal and familial support can affect the way men deal with the challenge of infertility. Previous studies showed that low levels of social support are associated with poor psychosocial adjustment and treatment termination in women and men. Studies examining the impact of social support using the couple as unit of analysis are lacking. A cross-sectional sample of 613 Portuguese patients participated in the research, online over a 3-month period, and in a public fertility clinic over 11 months. The final sample comprised 213 married or cohabiting couples (191 from the fertility clinic) who were actively attempting to have a child, were seeking infertility treatment and had not undergone previous preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Perceived social support was assessed through the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and infertility-related stress was assessed with the fertility problem inventory. Hypotheses were tested by applying the actor-partner interdependence model using structural equation modeling. Couples had been living together for an average (±SD) of 6 ± 3.5 years, and attempting a pregnancy for 3.8 ± 2.6 years. Nearly half of the couples had undergone infertility treatment (41.3%). Infertility stress was found to be associated with low family support for women (β = -0.27, P = .003), and low partner support for both men (β = -0.29, P = .001) and women (β = -0.45, P = .006). Both women and men's perceived friend support were not significantly related to male or female infertility stress. Men infertility stress was also associated with their partners low levels of partner (β = -0.24, P = .049) and family support (β = -0.23, P < .001). No significant partner effects were observed for women. Despite being related to actor effects alone (female partner and family support), the explained variance of the model in women's fertility stress was greater (R(2) = 21%) than that (R(2) = 15.6%) for the combined actor and partner effects in men's fertility stress (male partner support, female partner and family support). The study data are cross-sectional and the generalizability of results is limited by self-selection. The characteristics of non-participants in both the clinical and online samples were not available, the perception of infertility-specific supportive behaviors was not assessed and differential analyses according to infertility diagnosis were not included in this study. Our data underline the importance of partner support in alleviating the burden of infertility. Men may experience infertility indirectly through the impact that it has on their partners. Our findings reinforce the need to involve the male partner throughout the whole treatment process and for couple-based interventions when providing infertility counseling. Further prospective research should be aimed at investigating the male experience of infertility. This research was supported by a PhD scholarship from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology granted to M.M. (FCT, SFRH/BD/44232/2008). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

(Male) infertility: what does it mean to men? New evidence from quantitative and qualitative studies

Scientific knowledge of the emotional repercussions of infertility on men remains limited and has only recently become the focus of social science research. Firstly, the current developments in research on the psychosocial impact of infertility on men through a search of the literature over the last 10 years are outlined in this paper. In the second section, issues raised in pretreatment counselling for men and their partner who consider donor insemination are described as this treatment typically raises many emotional issues. The results of more recent studies with sophisticated methodological design show that the emotional impact of infertility may be nearly balanced, suggesting that men do suffer as well and that they have to be addressed in infertility counselling too. The emotional and clinical aspects of donor insemination support the hypothesis that the emotional repercussions of infertility affect both sexes. In general, male factor infertility seems to be more stigmatized than other infertility diagnoses. Forthcoming studies have to differentiate between the psychological impact of infertility on women and men and their respective abilities to communicate easily about this distress. More studies on infertile men in non-Western societies need to be conducted in order to understand the cultural impact on infertility.According to an American study, almost half of the women but only 15% of the men consider infertility the most upsetting experience of their lives. It would be easy to assume that infertility is predominantly a female problem. However, this assumption is likely to be based on out-dated gender stereotypes and inadequate methodology. The results of much of the formerly available research supporting women’s greater overt distress in response to infertility may well reflect differences in the ways men and women have been socialized to cope with negative affect. More recent qualitative and quantitative research indicates that the emotional impact may be nearly balanced, suggesting that men do suffer as well and that they have to be addressed in infertility counselling too. In many cultures, male infertility remains a stigmatized condition and associated with a lack of virility and masculinity. For men, this may result in secrecy surrounding diagnosis, sometimes to the point where the female partner takes the blame for the couple’s inability to conceive. Based on qualitative and of recent quantitative research, this article will outline important aspects of (male) infertility and challenge the notion of the “emotionally unaffected” male. It will also draw on typical emotional and clinical aspects of donor insemination, a family-building alternative in which many emotional issues of male infertility culminate, thus supporting the hypothesis that the emotional repercussions of infertility affect both sexes similarly.

British Infertility Counselling Association

British Infertility Counselling Association

2288 THE RELATION BETWEEN DYSLIPIDEMIA WITH THE KLINEFELTER'S SYNDROME PATIENT

You have accessJournal of UrologyInfertility: Evaluation1 Apr 20132288 THE RELATION BETWEEN DYSLIPIDEMIA WITH THE KLINEFELTER'S SYNDROME PATIENT Se Hwan Park, Dae Gi Jo, Hyo Serk Lee, Jin Ho Choe, Joong Shik Lee, Young Ho Kim, and Ju Tae Seo Se Hwan ParkSe Hwan Park SEOUL, Korea, Republic of More articles by this author , Dae Gi JoDae Gi Jo SEOUL, Korea, Republic of More articles by this author , Hyo Serk LeeHyo Serk Lee SEOUL, Korea, Republic of More articles by this author , Jin Ho ChoeJin Ho Choe SEOUL, Korea, Republic of More articles by this author , Joong Shik LeeJoong Shik Lee SEOUL, Korea, Republic of More articles by this author , Young Ho KimYoung Ho Kim Korea, Republic of More articles by this author , and Ju Tae SeoJu Tae Seo SEOUL, Korea, Republic of More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2013.02.2229AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The prevalence rate of metabolic syndrome in hypogonadism patients is known to be increased due to changes in body composition. Klinefelter's syndrome is a known genetic syndrome which presents with hypogonadism and there have been several studies looking into the association between Klinefelter's syndrome and metabolic syndromes. This study is aimed at proving our hypothesis that dyslipidemia, one of the criteria of metabolic syndrome is increased in Klinefelter's syndrome compared to control group. METHODS We have gathered date from two groups: 55 Klinefelter's syndrome patients who were examined at our hospital from March 2005 to May 2012 and 120 patients who underwent health screening from January 2011 to December 2011. The two groups were analyzed for height, weight, BMI, testosterone, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein(HDL), low-density lipoprotein(LDL), triglyceride(TG). We performed comparisons of each variable in the two groups. RESULTS Height and weight were significantly greater in Klinefelter's group, but no difference was found in BMI. Testosterone level in Klinefelter's group was significantly lower than the control group (2.4 ¡¾ 2.6 vs 5.2 ¡¾ 1.8, p<0.001). Compared with controls, TG in Klinefelter's group was increase than the control group (187.9 ¡¾ 192.1 vs 134.9 ¡¾ 127.8, p=0.004) and HDL was significantly decrease (44.0 ¡¾ 9.5 vs 51.2 ¡¾ 22.0, p=0.009). LDL and cholesterol were not significantly different between the two groups. (p=0.076, p=0.256, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Dyslipidemia indexes of the Klinefelter's syndrome patients were found to be abnormal compared to the control group. Based on our findings, we recommend that Klinefelter's syndrome patients who visit urology clinics for infertility counseling be screened for dyslipidemia and appropriately treated for their metabolic abnormalities. © 2013 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 189Issue 4SApril 2013Page: e938 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2013 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Se Hwan Park SEOUL, Korea, Republic of More articles by this author Dae Gi Jo SEOUL, Korea, Republic of More articles by this author Hyo Serk Lee SEOUL, Korea, Republic of More articles by this author Jin Ho Choe SEOUL, Korea, Republic of More articles by this author Joong Shik Lee SEOUL, Korea, Republic of More articles by this author Young Ho Kim Korea, Republic of More articles by this author Ju Tae Seo SEOUL, Korea, Republic of More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

British Infertility Counselling Association - Guidelines for Good Practice in Infertility Counselling. Third edition 2012

The BICA Guidelines for Good Practice in Infertility Counselling were first published in 2006, with a second edition in 2007 and now the third this year. They offer guidance to counsellors workin...

‘Your count is zero’ – Counselling the infertile man

Little is known about the counselling needs of infertile men. Recent research has shown that suffering from involuntary childlessness may be nearly equally distributed between women and men, but men have more difficulty in communicating this emotional crisis, usually preferring an instrumental grieving style to regain a sense of control, whereas their female partners are often characterised by an intuitive grieving style such as the expression of feelings. When the specific counselling needs of infertile men are addressed adequately in an appropriate setting in the course of infertility counselling, high uptake rates can be achieved. In this paper, typical issues regarding infertility counselling for men are described and proposals to improve the psychosocial status of infertile men are given.

Knowledge and attitudes toward child adoption and fostering among infertile women in northern Nigeria

Background: Infertility is a public health problem in the developing countries. However, the role of child adoption or fostering in the management of infertile couples is underexplored, particularly in northern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study involving the use of a structured interview questionnaire was employed to collect information from clients attending the infertility clinic of Aminu Kano University Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano. The data were analyzed using MINITAB® 12.21 software. Percentages and means were used to describe categorical and quantitative variables, respectively. The chi-square test was used to assess the significance of associations using a confidence interval of 95%. Results: Majority of the respondents (69.7%) were between 25 and 34 years of age, and of Hausa/Fulani ethnic group (79.6%). Knowledge of child adoption was good in 59.2% of the respondents, while the willingness to adopt versus foster was 28.2% and 44.4%, respectively. Conclusion: There is a need to advocate for infertility counseling services, so as to support infertile clients in taking informed decisions regarding child adoption or fostering as viable options for having their own families.

“We never thought of a vasectomy”: a qualitative study of men and women's counseling around sterilization

BackgroundSterilization is the most commonly used method of contraception in the United States; however, little is known about how providers counsel about these procedures or the information patients desire. In this study, we explore male and female experiences of sterilization counseling and their perspectives on ideal sterilization counseling. Study designIn-depth individual and group interviews were conducted with 37 heterosexual couples between the ages of 25 and 55 years. Each couple had reached their desired family size. Interviews were recorded and transcribed using NVivo software and analyzed using modified grounded theory. ResultsMen and women differed in their experiences of sterilization counseling. Women commonly received counseling on female sterilization but not vasectomy, while men rarely discussed either form of sterilization with their providers. Both men and women desired more information about sterilization. ConclusionsContraceptive counseling of couples who have completed childbearing does not routinely include men or the option of vasectomy, despite the advantages of this method with respect to safety, efficacy and cost. Family planning and primary care providers have an important role in ensuring that couples are aware of all their options and can make an informed decision about their contraception.

Effect of counseling on quality of marital relationship of infertile couples: a randomized, controlled trial (RCT) study

Infertility is a major cause of marital problems and sexual dissatisfaction. This study was conducted to determine the effects of counseling on infertile couple's marital relationship and sexual satisfaction. This study was performed as a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in which 100 infertile couples (200 participants) who visited Reproductive Health Research Center Tehran, Iran were randomly assigned into two groups: intervention (n = 50 couples, 50 wives and 50 husbands) and control (n = 50 couples, 50 wives and 50 husbands). Intervention was defined as three counseling sessions per week, each lasting 60-90 min. Counseling in the intervention group was conducted separately for each couple. Demographic characteristics and marital and sexual satisfaction were investigated using three questionnaires through interviews. The outcomes, including changes in marital satisfaction and sexual satisfaction, were compared between the two groups 3 months later. Based on the data collected 3 months after the intervention period, the mean scores of marital and sexual satisfaction in intervention and control groups for wives were 49.62 ± 11.09 versus 54.97 ± 12.64 (P = 0.036) and 36.00 ± 8.37 versus 40.04 ± 7.69 (P = 0.019), respectively. Respective scores for husbands were 45.48 ± 9.55 versus 50.08 ± 11.43 (P = 0.042) and 33.37 ± 7.09 versus 36.63 ± 6.52 (P = 0.025), respectively. It should be noted that higher scores in questionnaires inspecting marital and sexual satisfaction indicate lower satisfaction. Infertility counseling improves marital and sexual satisfaction in infertile couples.

Men

Family planning services have typically been directed at the female client. In addition, most family planning services and programs are female client-centered, with female-specific health care services such as family planning counseling, female sexual/reproductive medical care, genetic counseling, pregnancy tests, contraception administration, and prenatal care rendered primarily to the female client. The presence of men in most family planning clinics is negligible. Men are key persons in the reproductive decision-making process. In some cultures, the male significantly influences the choice of birth control methods, birth number, birth sequencing, and timing, along with an opinion regarding the birthing method. Comprehensive family planning services should include men and women as equal partners and clients in the family planning process and delivery of family planning services. This would require the development and funding of family planning services directed at male clients. A basis to assist with the development of these types of services is Title X Family Planning programs and funding streams. The integration of men into family planning services should include male sexual/reproductive health services, development of male-focused reproductive life plans, discussion of intimate partner violence, basic primary care services to include immunizations, sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment, along with primary care services to promote healthy lifestyle choices. In addition, family planning services that include men should either integrate men into the existing family planning services and have a true family--male and female client together planning program or develop male-centered family planning services. In addition to the aforementioned male services, male-centered family planning services should include demonstration of condom usage; sexually transmitted infection counseling; pregnancy prevention; pregnancy timing methods and female and male birth control options; preconception health counseling; genetic counseling; testicular health and self-examination; infertility counseling and management; discussion of alcohol, tobacco, and other substance use from an overall health and reproductive health perspective; and depression screening. A secondary benefit of male-centered family planning services or the integration of men into existing family planning services is that this may serve as an entry point into the health care system and lead men to a further referral processes to secure primary health care prevention and treatment services. Men are the critical missing client in most family planning services. It is our obligation to provide male-centered family planning services either through an integrated model or male-focused model of health care delivery. Language: en

Guidelines for infertility counselling in different countries: Is there an emerging trend?

It is widely accepted that infertility and involuntary childlessness, and the decision to engage with assisted reproduction technology (ART) services as a patient, donor or surrogate can entail wide-ranging psychosocial issues. Psychosocial counselling has, therefore, become valued as an integral element of ART services. The objective of this study was to begin to map out what exists globally by the way of guidelines for infertility counselling. Data were analysed from formal guidelines produced by seven national infertility counselling bodies, onetransnational infertility counselling organization, reports of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Ethics Committee and Practice Committee and the ESHRE Task Force on Ethics and Law. Additional sources of data were the International Infertility Counseling Organization and counselling colleagues internationally. Four broad areas concerning contemporary practice in infertility counselling are identified: (i) the legal mandate for counselling; (ii) eligibility credentials for individuals carrying out professional counselling activities; (iii) different forms of counselling and (iv) counselling practice in relation to specific elements of assisted reproduction treatment. Internationally, the development of infertility guidelines is best described as a 'work in progress', although key trends are evident.

An introduction to infertility counseling: a guide for mental health and medical professionals

The practice of infertility counseling delivered by mental health and medical professionals has become more sophisticated and widespread over the past decade. This paper summarizes information presented at the second campus workshop of the Special Interest Group of Psychology and Counseling of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). This group is dedicated to improving infertility services by creating meaningful connections between mental health and medical professionals. The paper identifies key issues that infertility counselors must consider in their work with couples experiencing infertility. The use of supportive psychosocial interventions and treatments are highlighted. The paper also details the process for choosing the most appropriate type of infertility counseling, and the use of assessment tools that assist in understanding infertility related symptoms. Infertility counselors should also consider gender differences, the impact of infertility on a couple's sexual relationship,and the unique challenges couples face regarding third-party conception. Finally, the paper addresses specific recommendations for infertility counselors in mental health and medical settings.

Family Planning Choices in Couples Using Contraception without Knowing They Are Infertile: Should Newly-Wed Men Undergo a Routine Spermiogram?

Introduction: Newly-weds choose to use contraception either to spend the first years of their marriage more freely, because of economic reasons or because of the increase in working career women. We studied the reasons for infertility and the rate of contraception use in the first years of marriage among couples with primary infertility and evaluated the use of a spermiogram as a screening test in newly-wed men. Subjects and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 302 couples with primary infertility who were treated at our infertility clinic were included in the study. The couples were divided into 2 groups: group 1 (infertile couples who have used contraception) consisted of 67 couples and group 2 (infertile couples who did not use contraception) consisted of 235 couples. Results: Sixty-seven (22.5%) infertile couples stated that they had used no contraception in the first years of their marriage. In group 1, 35.8% of couples were diagnosed as having unexplained infertility, while 28.4% of them had male factor, 31.3% female factor and 4.5% a combination of male and female factor infertility. Sixteen men with male factor infertility used coitus interruptus (3–36 months) or condoms (6–12 months) unnecessarily. Conclusions: Infertility counseling in the early days of marriage and a spermiogram performed at that time could be beneficial for the newly-wed couples even if they do not want a child at the time. To perform a spermiogram as a screening test in all newly-wed men should be discussed.

Pretreatment fertility counseling and fertility preservation improve quality of life in reproductive age women with cancer

The post-treatment quality of life (QOL) impacts of receiving precancer-treatment infertility counseling and of pursuing fertility preservation have not been described in large-scale studies of reproductive age women with cancer. In total, 1041 women who were diagnosed between ages 18 and 40 years responded to a retrospective survey and reported whether they received infertility counseling before cancer treatment and whether they took action to preserve fertility. Five cancer types were included: leukemia, Hodgkin disease, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, breast cancer, and gastrointestinal cancer. Validated QOL scales were used: the Decision Regret Score, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and the brief World Health Organization QOL questionnaire. Overall, 560 women (61%) who received treatment that potentially could affect fertility were counseled by the oncology team, 45 (5%) were counseled by fertility specialists, and 36 (4%) took action to preserve fertility. Pretreatment infertility counseling by a fertility specialist and an oncologist resulted in lower regret than counseling by an oncologist alone (8.4 vs 11.0; P < .0001). The addition of fertility preservation (6.6 vs 11.0; P < .0001) also was associated with even lower regret scores than counseling by an oncologist alone. Further improvements also were observed in SWLS scores with the addition of fertility specialist counseling (23.0 vs 19.8; P = .09) or preserving fertility (24.0 vs 19.0; P = .05). Receiving specialized counseling about reproductive loss and pursuing fertility preservation is associated with less regret and greater QOL for survivors, yet few patients are exposed to this potential benefit. Women of reproductive age should have expert counseling and should be given the opportunity to make active decisions about preserving fertility.

Mating by proxy: a novel perspective to donor conception

How single, partnered lesbian, and partnered heterosexual women undertaking donor insemination rate the importance of donor characteristics is explored in the context of Trivers's parental investment theory. Consistent with this theory, single women placed higher value on biographical traits reflective of the donor's level of potential resources (occupation, hobbies, age) and good character compared with either partnered lesbian or heterosexual women.

CBRC and psychosocial counselling: assessing needs and developing an ethical framework for practice

Encountering infertility and involuntary childlessness and undergoing infertility treatment are acknowledged as stressful experiences that impact on individuals’ psychological and emotional health – and for which access to psychosocial counselling by a skilled mental health professional may be beneficial. Evidence of patients’, gamete donors’ and surrogates’ experiences indicates that utilization of infertility treatment in another country may not only exacerbate these psychosocial adversities, but may also pose additional risks to the psychological or physical health of participants, thus further emphasizing the need for competent psychosocial counselling services in cross-border reproductive care. However, this is a largely neglected topic in recent discussions of both CBRC itself and of infertility counselling practice. This paper extends the previous work undertaken by two of the authors to begin to map out practice issues within an ethical framework for counsellors when working with clients, donors, surrogates, individuals conceived following infertility treatment and existing children in clients’, donor’s and surrogates’ families where cross-border reproductive treatment is considered or undertaken. Encountering infertility and involuntary childlessness and undergoing infertility treatment are acknowledged as stressful experiences that impact individuals’ psychological and emotional health – and for which access to psychosocial counselling by a skilled mental health professional may be beneficial. Evidence of patients’, gamete donors’ and surrogates’ experiences indicates that utilization of infertility treatment in another country may not only exacerbate these psychosocial adversities, but may also pose additional risks to the psychological or physical health of participants, thus further emphasizing the need for competent psychosocial counselling services in cross-border reproductive care (CBRC). However, this is a largely neglected topic in recent discussions of both CBRC itself and of infertility counselling practice. This paper extends the previous work undertaken by two of the authors to begin to map out practice issues within an ethical framework for counsellors when working with clients, donors and surrogates where cross-border treatment is considered or undertaken.

INVITED SESSION, SESSION 13: INFERTILITY COUNSELLING - TOWARDS QUALITY CARE, Monday 4 July 2011 14:00 - 15:00

INVITED SESSION, SESSION 13: INFERTILITY COUNSELLING - TOWARDS QUALITY CARE, Monday 4 July 2011 14:00 - 15:00

Current status of infertility counseling in Korea

목적 본 연구에서는 불임부부 지원사업을 받아 보조생식술을 시행 받은 불임환자들을 대상으로 불임상담 실태에 대하여 알아보고자 하였다. 연구방법 2006년과 2008년 각각 1년 동안 불임부부 지원사업의 시술비를 지원받은 불임환자 2006년 19,131예 중 7,931예와 2008년 13,240예(총 21,171예)를 대상으로 우편설문조사를 실시하였다. 결과 불임시술 이전에 상담 받은 횟수는 2내지 3회 상담을 시행 받은 경우가 각각 409명(33.4%, 2006년), 534명(42.4%, 2008년)으로 가장 많았으며, 불임부부에게 불임상담을 해준 상담자로 불임전문의에게 상담을 받았다고 한 경우가 2006년은 1,009명(85.5%), 2008년은 879명(67.7%)으로 가장 많았다. 불임상담의 형태로는 진료실에서 불임환자나 부부 단독으로 구두상담 받은 경우가 가장 많았으며, 불임상담시 심리검사를 하지 않았다는 경우가 대부분이었다. 불임시술 중 가장 스트레스를 받은 경우는 ``임신결과 발표 시``로 나타났으며, 불임치료 시에는 가장 도움을 많이 준 사람으로 배우자가 가장 많았다. 결론 불임시술 전 과정이 불임환자에게 스트레스를 주는 것으로 나타났다. 특히 임신 결과 발표 시에 가장 많은 스트레스를 받는다고 하였으며, 시술이전에 2-3회의 상담을 받았고, 상담 시 심리검사 등은 시행하지 않았다. 우리나라의 불임상담은 외국과는 달리 정신과 전문의나 정신건강전문가에게 받지 않고 대부분 불임전문의에게 상담받았다고 하였는데, 국내에서도 불임부부의 상담에 정신심리 전문가가 포함된 팀으로서의 접근이 필요할 것으로 생각된다. 향후 불임상담과 임신율과의 상관 관계에 대한 추가 연구가 필요할 것으로 생각된다.

Counselling in infertility: Individual, couple and group interventions

Objective Infertility is considered a biopsychosocial crisis and infertility counselling is recommended as an integral part of a multidisciplinary approach. This article will outline the theoretical background and describe common interventions used in infertility counselling for individuals, couples and in a group setting. Methods This article summarizes the proceedings of the first campus workshop of the Special interest group of Psychology and Counselling of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). Results Infertility counselling offers the opportunity to explore, discover and clarify ways of living more satisfyingly and resourcefully when fertility impairments have been diagnosed. The Heidelberg Fertility Consultation Service is presented as a framework for individual and couples counselling and highlights important issues in counselling patients. For group work a number of steps to set up a group within an infertility framework are discussed. Conclusion In recent years, infertility counselling has become a specialist form of counselling requiring professional expertise and qualification. Key issues and common interventions are presented to raise awareness for the specific counselling needs of individuals and couples experiencing infertility and undergoing medical treatment. Practice implications Mental health professionals new to the field of reproductive technologies as well as those in other areas of mental health counselling clients with fertility disorders can benefit from the topics addressed.