Need For Parenthood Research Articles

The role of infertility-related stress and sexist beliefs in anxiety symptoms in infertility couples

ABSTRACT It is necessary to continue identifying the predictors of anxiety symptoms in men and women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART), especially from a psychosocial perspective. For this reason, this study evaluated a mediation model that demonstrates the effect of various stressors related to infertility, as well as the variables of sex, age, social support, and sexist beliefs, on anxiety symptoms. The sample of this cross-sectional study consisted of 215 infertility patients (146 women and 69 men) undergoing ART and residing in Spain. The Inventory of Infertility Problems (FPI) was used, which measures five stressors related to infertility (social, sexual and relationship concerns, rejection of a child-free lifestyle and need for parenthood). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI) were also used. Being women and perceiving less social support was associated with higher anxiety symptoms, due to the mediated effect of social, sexual and relationships concerns. Higher levels of sexist beliefs were related to greater concern about the relationship, greater rejection of a childless lifestyle and greater need for parenting. This pioneering research in Spain identifies factors predisposing to anxiety in ART patients. This evidence should be considered in infertility research and clinical practice.

Anxiety, depression, and infertility-specific distress among women with female factor infertility.

This study aimed to evaluate whether anxiety, depression, and infertility-specific distress differ among women with female infertility who are trying to conceive and/or seeking infertility treatment. Women with diagnosed female factor infertility in the past 2 years (N = 188) completed demographic questions, and measures of infertility-specific distress, anxiety, and depression. The majority of the sample were actively trying to conceive (78.7%, n = 148) and approximately one third (33.5%, n = 63) were undergoing fertility treatment. Anxiety and depression scores did not differ based on trying to conceive or treatment-seeking, although these subgroups reported higher levels of need for parenthood and rejection of a childfree lifestyle. High levels of mood and anxiety are experienced by women with female infertility. Although infertility-specific distress is experienced more so by women with anxiety and depression, a substantial proportion of those without mental health conditions had high levels of distress, underscoring the need for screening and treatment.

Infertility-related stress and its relationship with emotional divorce among Iranian infertile people

BackgroundInfertility affects different aspects of couples’ lives, so it may cause problems in couples’ emotional relationships by increasing marital conflicts. This study aimed to determine Infertility-related stress and its relationship with emotional divorce among Iranian infertile people.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional observational study on 200 infertile people. The research environment was one of the well-equipped infertility centers in Tehran, Iran. Continuous sampling was employed. The data collection tools included a general information form, the Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI), and the Emotional Divorce Scale (EDS).ResultsThe findings revealed a significant direct relationship between infertility-related stress and all its subscales with emotional divorce in both infertile women and men. In infertile women, the most concern was the need for parenthood, while the lowest concerns were the relationship and sexual concerns. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that social and relationship concerns predicted 44% of emotional divorce, with social concern being the more influential factor. In infertile men, the need for parenthood was the most significant concern, while relationship and social concerns were less prominent. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that relationship concern predicted 50% of emotional divorce in infertile men. In both infertile men and women, social and relationship concerns explained 45% of the variance in emotional divorce. Among these two variables, relationship concern had a more impact in predicting emotional divorce. Also, there was no statistically significant difference between women and men regarding infertility-related stress and its subscales, except for sexual concern.ConclusionThe study highlights the importance of the need for parenthood as a main concern among infertile individuals. Increased infertility-related stress and its subscales contribute to higher levels of emotional divorce among this population. Additionally, relationship concern was the lowest concern in infertile people. But it significantly predicts emotional divorce among infertile individuals.

Coping styles among Vietnamese people with infertility diagnosis: does type of infertility-related stress really matter?

ABSTRACT Objectives The present study aims to investigate whether each coping style used by Vietnamese people living with infertility diagnosis is associated with specific types of infertility-related stress (IRS). Methods In this cross-sectional design study, 997 patients with primary infertility diagnosis from three hospitals and two clinics in three regions of Vietnam completed questionnaire that consisted of Fertility Problem Inventory, the Copenhagen Multi-Centre Psychosocial Infertility and other questions. Four different linear regression analyses were performed on four coping styles. The five types of IRS and covariates were included in these models. Findings The results show that participants who experience all five types of IRS reported the dominant use of active-avoidance coping, while having four types of IRS, except for social concern, was associated with higher use of meaning-based coping. Utilising active-confronting coping was reported to be the outcome of experiencing increasing need for parenthood and decreasing rejection of child-free lifestyle. Choice of passive-avoidance coping was more common among those with increasing social concern and need for parenthood. Age and educational level impacted infertile people’s choice of avoidance coping strategies. Conclusions The results provide evidence to understand the direct impact of each type of IRS on infertile people’s choice of coping styles to better support them during their individual and family therapy.

Factors Associated With a High Motivation to Undergo Fertility Preservation in Female Cancer Patients.

Objective: Fertility loss due to cancer treatment can be a devastating experience for women and the couple. Undergoing fertility preservation can be a complex decision from both a medical and emotional point of view. The aim of the present study was to evaluate which socio-demographic and psychological factors predict a high motivation to undergo fertility preservation.Methods: Fifty-eight female cancer patients who accessed an Oncofertility Unit completed: a questionnaire to collect socio-demographic characteristics and the level of motivation, the Beck-Depression Inventory-II, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y, and the Fertility Problem Inventory.Results: Almost half of the sample (44.8%) declared a high motivation. At multiple logistic regression analysis only the “Need for parenthood” subscale of the FPI predicted a high motivation. We alternatively evaluated as possible predictor the construct “Representations about the importance of parenthood” (i.e., the sum of the “Need for Parenthood” and “Rejection of childfree lifestyle” subscales) in place of the two separate subscales. At multiple logistic regression analysis, only this variable predicted a high motivation to undergo fertility preservation.Conclusion: The most important predictor of a high motivation to undergo fertility preservation is the individual desire for parenthood. This implies that, regardless of socio-demographic characteristics, any woman of childbearing age should receive an appropriate counseling about fertility preservation.

P–475 The mediator role of infertility-related psychological inflexibility in the relationship between infertility-stress domains and psychopathological symptoms

Abstract Study question Does infertility-related psychological inflexibility play a role in the relationship between infertility-related stress domains and psychopathological symptoms (depression, anxiety)? Summary answer Infertility-related psychological inflexibility mediated the relationship between infertility-related stress domains and depression. There were no effects between infertility-related stress domains and anxiety symptoms. What is known already The emotional impact of infertility may include anxiety and depressive symptoms and these seem to be related to stress. Beliefs about the importance of parenthood (need for parenthood) and rejection of a childfree lifestyle, as well as the impact of infertility in several life areas (social, sexual, and relationship) are conceptually considered two infertility-related stress domains. Although the relationship between infertility-related stress and psychopathological symptoms has been previously recognized, the mechanism underlying this relationship remains undetermined. Psychological inflexibility has been pointed as a core transdiagnostic process contributing to the development and maintenance of several psychological difficulties. Study design, size, duration Cross-sectional study. Participants were recruited through the Associação Portuguesa de Fertilidade (patients’ association). Inclusion criteria were age (18 years or older) and an infertility medical diagnosis. Data were collected online through self-report instruments between June and December 2019. Participants/materials, setting, methods: A sample comprising 287 women pursuing infertility medical treatment (at different stages) completed online a sociodemographic questionnaire, the depression and anxiety subscales of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS – 21), the Psychological Inflexibility Scale - Infertility (PIS-I), and the Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI). Descriptive and correlational analyses were computed through SPSS v. 26, and path analyses were estimated in AMOS (v. 24) with bootstrap procedures (2000 samples). Main results and the role of chance Correlation analyses revealed that FPI domains (importance of parenthood and impact on life domains), depressive and anxiety symptoms were significantly and positively associated with PIS-I. A mediation analysis was conducted to examine whether PIS-I mediated the effect of FPI domains on depressive and anxiety symptoms. Paths showing not to be statistically significant were removed. This model showed a good fit to the empirical data: χ2(4) = 1.59, p = .810, CMIN/DF = .40; TLI = 1.00; CFI = 1.00; RMSEA = .00, 95% CI = .00 to .06. The effect of the importance of parenthood on depressive symptoms revealed to be both direct (b = .03; SEb = .01; Z = 2.46; p = .014; β= .15) and partially mediated by the PIS-I (b = .31, 95% CI = .24 to .37, p = .018). The effect of the impact of infertility in several life areason depressive symptoms was fully mediated by PIS-I (b = .15, 95% CI = .10 to .21, p = .008). This model explained 43% of the total variance of depressive symptoms. No significant effects were found for anxiety symptoms. Limitations, reasons for caution Participants were at different stages of their fertility treatment. Data collection was completed online and this tends to recruit participants with more access to online platforms. Results rely on cross-sectional and self-report data. Wider implications of the findings: Results suggest the relevance of targeting processes encompassing psychological inflexibility, such as cognitive fusion, experiential avoidance, conceptualized self, conceptualized past and future, lack of values clarity, and inability to commit with values-driven actions, in psychological interventions designed for women with infertility. Trial registration number N/A.

Vulnerability in in-vitro fertilisation transformative services: an interplay of individual and institutional factors

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the factors driving and mitigating the experienced vulnerabilities of women undergoing the transformative service of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), and how this influences women’s evaluations and intentions.Design/methodology/approachThe conceptual framework was tested using quantitative data collected via an online survey of Australian women who have undergone IVF treatment. Hayes’ PROCESS macro was used to analyse the data.FindingsThe results indicate that women’s persistent goal-striving alongside their perceived personal sacrifices influence the association between their need for parenthood and their experienced vulnerability. Institutional factors such as IVF clinic technical and interpersonal quality influence these consumers’ IVF experience evaluations and word-of-mouth (WoM) intentions.Research limitations/implicationsThis study’s results are limited to women who are undergoing IVF treatment. Further empirical work is needed to deepen the understanding of the role played by partners and other family members in women’s IVF experiences.Practical implicationsIVF clinics can reduce women’s experienced vulnerability by encouraging women who have a good probability of succeeding to persist in the pursuit of the goal of conceiving a child via IVF. This can be achieved by enabling and empowering them so that they give themselves the best chance during treatment, thus facilitating their control. Managing the expectations of those women with a lower probability of success is also recommended. The importance of the technical and interpersonal quality delivered by IVF clinics in influencing the positive evaluations and behavioural intentions of women experiencing vulnerabilities is further highlighted.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the transformative service research literature by: examining the IVF transformative experience, which has been largely overlooked; focussing on the intersection of transformative services and consumers experiencing vulnerability, which is an emerging research area; and testing a framework quantitatively that intermingles individual and institutional factors as antecedents and consequences of consumers’ experienced vulnerabilities, advancing the existing conceptual and qualitative work.

Child-Free Lifestyle and the Need for Parenthood and Relationship with Marital Satisfaction among Infertile Couples.

Objective: Marital satisfaction is considered as satisfaction with a marital relationship on which the presence of a child has different effects. Concerns about a childfree life and its effect on marital satisfaction in infertile couples are very critical. Therefore, this study was intended to characterize and compare concerns about a childfree lifestyle and the need for parenthood and their relationship with marital satisfaction in infertile couples. Method: A total of 200 men and 200 women who referred to fertility centers in Tehran participated in this cross-sectional study. Convenience sampling method was used for sampling. Demographic survey, ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale, and Fertility Problem Inventory were used for data collection. The resulting data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical tests (Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Stepwise Regression). Results: The mean scores for concern about a childfree lifestyle and the need for parenthood in women were significantly higher than in men. The variables rejection of a childfree lifestyle and the need for parenthood were respectively predictors of marital satisfaction in women and men.Conclusion: Since marital satisfaction in infertile couples is affected by their feelings about having a child and becoming a parent, it is therefore suggested that appropriate counseling be provided in supportive healthcare programs for infertile couples to promote their marital satisfaction.

Correlation between perceived infertility-related stress and fertility quality of life in women diagnosed with primary infertility

IntroductionA diagnosis of infertility is a stressful emotional experience for women, leading to a significant detrimental impact in many domains of life quality.ObjectivesThe aim of this study is to explore the correlation between perceived infertility-related stress and fertility quality of life in affected women.MethodsThe study sample comprised 236 women diagnosed with primary infertility, recruited from the Gynecology Obstetrics Clinic, with a mean age of 33.21 years (min 20, max 46) and with a mean duration of conception attempts of 3.24 years (min 1, max 16), assessed by the Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI) and the Fertility quality of life questionnaire (FertiQol).ResultsThe mean FPI and FertiQol were 137.23 (SD=29.066) and 65.356 (SD=11.119) respectively. There was a significant negative correlation between perceived infertility-related stress and fertility quality of life (r= -.513; p<0.01). All the subscales of the applied questionnaires showed significant negative correlations, with exception of Need for parenthood and Rejection of childfree lifestyle subscales of FPI and Treatment related quality of life of FertiQol. Furthermore, the total FPI score could significantly predict the total FertiQol score (F=83.386; df=1:234; p<0.01). On the basis of perceived infertility-related stress, a 26.3% variance of fertility quality of life can be explained.ConclusionsWomen diagnosed with primary infertility who experience higher levels of infertility-related stress had a lower level of fertility quality of life.

Fertility-Related Problems and Ways of Coping of Couples With Primary Infertility in Urban India

Objective: To study the impact of infertility in terms of fertility-related problems and ways of coping among male organic factor, female organic factor, and unexplained factor infertility groups suffering from primary infertility. Infertility is defined as an inability to become pregnant after 1 year of regular sexual relations without use of contraceptives. This study compared coping strategies and specific fertility problems among the 3 infertile groups. Methods: This was a clinic-based cross-sectional comparative study based on consecutive sampling method. Sixty couples were taken, of which 10 couples were from the male factor, 10 from the female factor, and 10 from the unexplained factor group. Fertility Problem Inventory and Ways of Coping Questionnaire were the tools that were administered. Results: The female factor group had greater social and relationship concern and need for parenthood. Seeking social support was used more by the unexplained factor group, whereas positive reappraisal coping style was used more by the female factor group. The male factor group used confrontative and self-controlling strategy to deal with the infertility problem. Conclusion: Men and women had different fertility-related concerns and used different coping methods to address these issues. Mental health professionals can address these concerns with specifically devised psychotherapy module.

Marital Duration, and Fertility-Related Stress as Predictors of Quality of life: Gender Differences among Primary Infertile Couples.

Context:Infertility is a global public health issue, and the current data suggest that the problem is growing. Various infertility-related issues are responsible for poorer mental health and well-being in couples with primary infertility.Aim:The present study aimed to understand the gender differences of psychological factors related to infertility in couples with primary infertility. Furthermore, an attempt was also made to understand gender-specific associations that could interact with the fertility-related quality of life (FertiQoL).Settings and Design:This cross-sectional hospital-based study included 100 married couples with the diagnosis of primary infertility, irrespective of the cause of infertility. The study was conducted at Infertility centers in the Eastern region of India.Subject and Methods:One hundred men and women (n = 100 couples) with the diagnosis of primary infertility were recruited in the study. The fertility problem inventory and FertiQoL were used to measure the couples fertility-related stress and FertiQoL, respectively.Statistical Analysis Used:Descriptive statistics, independent t-statistics, Pearson correlation, linear regression, and mediation analysis were conducted.Results:A significantly higher social and sexual concern of infertility and “need for parenthood” were found in women. Men had a significantly better quality of life compared to women. Significant negative predictors of quality of life were noted for both men and women separately. Fertility stress was a significant mediating factor between marital duration and global FertiQoL in men. However, women showed a direct negative association between marital duration and FertiQoL.Conclusions:The study provides important insights into the couple's experiences with various infertility problems that may potentially be addressed during psychotherapy or during infertility counseling.

Re-examining the Role of Coping Strategies in the Associations Between Infertility-Related Stress Dimensions and State-Anxiety: Implications for Clinical Interventions With Infertile Couples

Research has shown a direct relationship between infertility-related stress and anxiety in infertile patients. The present study goes into this relationship in depth, testing the moderating role of coping strategies (Seeking Social Support, Avoidant, Positive Attitude, Problem-Solving, Turning to Religion) in the associations between specific infertility-related stress dimensions (Social Concern, Need for Parenthood, Rejection of Childfree Lifestyle, Couple’s Relationship Concern) and State-Anxiety among male and female partners of infertile couples. Gender differences were also explored. Both members of 254 infertile couples completed a questionnaire consisting of Socio-demographics, Fertility Problem Inventory–Short Form (FPI-SF), Coping Orientation to Problem Experienced–New Italian Version (COPE-NIV), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y (STAI-Y). The results revealed that Social Concern and Couple’s Relationship Concern, in both partners, and Need for Parenthood, in female partners, had positive correlations with State-Anxiety. Seeking Social Support and Avoidant coping were related to increasing levels of State-Anxiety in both partners, whereas Positive Attitude coping strategies were related to lower levels of State-Anxiety in female partners. Problem-Solving and Avoidant coping played moderating roles between specific infertility-related stress dimensions and State-Anxiety in unexpected directions. Problem-Solving exacerbated the negative effects of Social Concern, whereas Avoidant coping buffered the negative effects of several infertility-related stress dimensions in both partners. Interventions to improve stress management and psychological health in infertile couples should consider that the adequacy of coping strategies is inherently situation specific. It therefore follows that patient-centered clinical interventions should consider the potential inadequacy of promoting Problem-Solving strategies, and that even Avoidance can be an efficient strategy for dealing with specific infertility-related stress dimensions.

The European Portuguese version of the Reproductive Concerns After Cancer Scale (RCACS): A psychometric validation for young adult female cancer survivors.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the 18-item Reproductive Concerns After Cancer Scale (RCACS) among young adult female cancer survivors. The psychometric validation was conducted based on a convenience sample of 192 cancer survivors aged between 18 and 40 years. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to test the factor structure of the Portuguese version of RCACS and reliabilities were examined. Convergent and discriminant validity was also used to assess the construct validity. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core-30 (EORT QLQ-C30) and the need for parenthood and rejection of child-free lifestyle subscales of the Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI) were used as convergent measures. A five-factor model was obtained with acceptable fit indexes and internal consistencies (.72<α<.89): (1) fertility potential, (2) children's health risk and future life, (3) partner disclosure, (4) barriers to getting pregnant/having children and (5) acceptance. Overall, convergent and discriminant validities were confirmed. Levels of anxiety and depression symptoms as well as health-related quality of life (QoL) had weak-to-moderate associations with reproductive concerns. Women who had a child or did not want a biological child were less concerned. This scale proved to be a reliable and valid measure of reproductive concerns for the Portuguese population with potential relevance for application in clinical practice.

Infertility-related stress and sexual satisfaction: a dyadic approach

Purpose of the study to examine whether women’s and men’s infertility-related stress, and specifically its sexual concerns aspect, is related to their and their partner’s sexual satisfaction. Materials and methods In a cross-sectional study, 94 couples experiencing infertility filled out the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale and Fertility Problem Inventory, which measures infertility-related stress with dimensions of social, sexual and relationship concerns, rejection of childfree lifestyle, and need for parenthood. Dyadic analyses were performed following the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM). Results The dyadic analysis revealed that women’s and men’s greater infertility-related stress contributed to their lower levels of sexual satisfaction (actor effect). Moreover, women’s and men’s greater sexual concerns (as the aspect of infertility-related stress) contributed to their own and their partner’s lower levels of sexual satisfaction (actor and partner effect). Conclusions The findings suggest that both individual and relational processes are important in the association between the specific dimension of infertility-related stress and sexual satisfaction. These findings could guide the psychosocial support for couples experiencing infertility.

Infertility After Cancer: How the Need to Be a Parent, Fertility-Related Social Concern, and Acceptance of Illness Influence Quality of Life.

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) given a diagnosis of cancer who experience infertility concerns often report having poorer quality of life (QoL). However, the role of infertility-related stressors and illness acceptance on QoL is not clear. The aim of this study was to describe the impact of psychosocial factors surrounding cancer treatment and infertility on QoL. We hypothesized that need for parenthood and infertility-related social concerns would be directly related to QoL and indirectly related to QoL through acceptance of illness. Cancer patients/survivors (n = 178; 75.3% female) aged 15 to 29 years completed measures of QoL, acceptance of illness, infertility-related social concerns, and need for parenthood. Path analysis was used to test the hypothesized and subsequent models to determine the best fit for predictors of QoL. The final model explained 28.36% of the variance in QoL. Lower infertility-related social concerns were directly and indirectly related to higher QoL scores. Need for parenthood did not directly relate to QoL, instead relating directly to increased infertility-related social concerns. Higher acceptance of illness (β = .39) and older age (β = .19) were directly related to higher QoL scores. Female patients had higher need for parenthood (β = .17). These findings suggest that social concerns and expectations surrounding infertility have a negative impact on AYA cancer survivors' and patients' QoL, which increases as AYAs approach socially normative parenting age. Providing survivors with specialist support to manage their infertility-related social concerns and improve their acceptance of illness has the potential to improve their QoL.

Factors Affecting the Infertility-Related Quality of Life among the Infertility Women

Objectives The purpose of this study is to determine the infertility stress, resilience, intimacy and infertility- related quality of life of infertility women in an infertility clinic, and to reveal associated factors of infertility-related quality of life. Methods As a descriptive study, data was collected from 92 infertility women in an infertility clinic. Data was analyzed using t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression. Results Infertility stress, resilience, intimacy and infertility-related quality of life averaged 3.1±0.5, 3.7± 0.3, 3.3±0.3, 3.2±0.5 respectively. The infertility-related quality of life varied with a statistical significance by marital period, the presence of a burdensome person and burdensome person. Infertility-related quality of life had a negative correlation with infertility stress (r=-0.69, p<0.001), and a positive correlation with resilience (r=0.23, p=0.28) and intimacy (r=0.22, p=0.030). Meaningful variables that influenced infertility-related quality of life were 'need for parenthood,' 'social concern in infertility stress' and 'positive factor in resilience,' and infertility-related quality of life was explained 56.6% by the variables. Conclusion It is suggested to highlight the importance of the infertility-related quality of life and to develop and execute the nursing intervention program for enhancing resilience and decreasing infertility stress of infertility women in infertility clinics. Key Words: Infertility, Quality of life, Stress, Resilience, Intimacy

Testing a New Group Intervention for Couples Seeking Fertility Treatment: Acceptability and Proof of Concept

This study tested the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of a novel group intervention for couples seeking fertility treatment. Twenty-nine couples completed psychological, relational, and sexual outcome measures pre- and post-intervention. Repeated-measures ANOVAs revealed significant reductions in terms of depressive symptoms, rejection of childfree lifestyle, and stress related to the need for parenthood. The results also revealed improvements in marital benefits and fertility-related emotional and relational quality of life. Couples’ high participation rates and reported treatment satisfaction indicate adequate acceptability. These results support the preliminary success of the intervention in reducing the psychological and relational burden for couples undergoing fertility treatment.

Getting what you desire: the normative significance of genetic relatedness in parent-child relationships.

People who are involuntarily childless need to use assisted reproductive technologies if they want to have a genetically related child. Yet, from an ethical point of view it is unclear to what extent assistance to satisfy this specific desire should be warranted. We first show that the subjectively felt harm due to the inability to satisfy this reproductive desire does not in itself entail the normative conclusion that it has to be met. In response, we evaluate the alternative view according to which the satisfaction of this desire is regarded as a way to meet one's presumed intermediate need for parenthood. This view presupposes that parenthood is one of those general categories of experiences and activities that contribute an irreplaceable value to people's lives, but the central difficulty is to find those characteristics that mark out parenthood as an irreplaceable constituent of a valuable life. We go on to argue, however, that even if one assumes that parenthood is such an irreplaceable constituent that makes life more valuable, this does not necessarily entail a moral duty to satisfy the desire for genetic parenthood. We conclude that there is a pro tanto obligation to help people conceive a genetically related child (if this is what they prefer), but that this can be outweighed by other moral considerations, such as safety and justice concerns.

From telescope to binoculars. Dyadic outcome resulting from psychological counselling for infertile couples undergoing ART

ABSTRACTObjective: This longitudinal study aims to evaluate the effect of psychological counselling on quality of life, marital satisfaction and need for parenthood in couples undergoing fertility treatments (ART).Background: Recent guidelines on the ART suggest that psychological counselling should target both members of the infertile couple in order to improve their conjoint management of the infertility-related stress. However, studies on the dyadic outcome of couples are scarce.Methods: 262 patients were originally considered in the study and completed questionnaires on quality of life, need for parenthood and marital satisfaction, before treatment (T1) and at the day of intrauterine insemination/embryo transfer (T2). For the purposes of this study, 34 counselled couples were then matched to 34 non-counselled couples by propensity scores. The Common Fate Model (CFM) was used to examine dyadic changes.Results: Couples receiving counselling had higher dyadic quality of life and lower dyadic stress due to the need for parenthood at T2 compared to non-counselled couples. No differences were found on marital satisfaction.Conclusion: The findings provide support for the effectiveness of counselling on interpersonal outcome. The CFM allows researchers to examine how the dyad as a whole responds to counselling, highlighting the change in the couple’s relational dynamics.

The Huge Burden of Infertility in India- Are We Crumbling Underneath?

Though a matter of varying sensitivities and urgency, procreation is a dream of everybody. According to studies, the need for parenthood is greatest in India but awareness of fertility problems is lowest. In societies like India’s, parenthood is a matter of utmost importance and urgency, and inability to conceive leads to stigmatization, ostracism and social distress, the burden of which falls disproportionately on women even when the cause lurks in their male partners [1]. Childlessness leads to maternal & reproductive health problems like violence against women, exploitation, and divorces are significantly higher in infertile women [2]. There is a hush-hush surrounding this social stigma, and more public awareness about fertility issues and the treatments available to help is needed. Affordability, availability, access, awareness and assurance are the key barriers limiting the correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment of infertility in India.