Need to Support Partners in the Process of Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility

Celina Łepecka-Klusek; Klaudia Pałucka; Anna B. Pilewska-Kozak; Beata Dobrowolska

Celina Łepecka-Klusek Medical University of Lublin
Klaudia Pałucka Medical University of Lublin
Anna B. Pilewska-Kozak Medical University of Lublin
Beata Dobrowolska Medical University of Lublin

Keywords: infertility; social support

Abstract

The paper presents the consequences of unintended childlessness, which can concern both men and women, as well as the partnership. The primary and secondary network of social support has been discussed and its importance in the diagnosis andtreatment of fertility problems. Amongmany benefits arising from the support ofchildless partners, the improvement of their quality of life is emphasized as well as making the communication in patient - medical personnel relationships better, increasing the chance of having the child and reduction of the time to get pregnant. Social support was emphasized to be particularly needed by partners at the stage oftaking decision to start treatment, subsequent stages of treatment and change of methods (procedures),termination of treatment (taking into account its effect), and adoption.

Later the paper presents global and European initiatives to improve the quality of life of infertile couples, including the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) to all infertility treatment centers, objectives and tasks of the annual celebration of WorldFam, Fertility Awareness Month and proposals for new developments of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). Basing on existing literature the evaluation of implementation of these recommendations and proposals in selected countries have been discussed. The problem of provision of support to infertile couples in the Polish reality, including in the region of Lublin, has been also presented.

References

Basso O., Olsen J., Bisanti L., Bolumar F., Kuppers-Chinnow M.: Repeating episodes of low fecundability. A multicentre European study. The European Study Group on Infertility and Subfecundity, „Human Reproduction” 12: 1997, nr 7, pp. 1448-1453.

Bielawska-Batorowicz E.: Psychologiczne aspekty prokreacji, Katowice: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Śląsk 2006.

Boivin J., Kentenich H.: Guidelines for Counselling in Infertility. ESHRE Monographs, Oxford: Oxford University Press 2002, pp. 4–135.

Campbell O., Cleland J., Collumbien M., Southwick K.: Social Science Methods for Research on Reproductive Health. World Health Organization, Geneva 1999, p. 101.

Domar AD., Clapp D., Slawsby E.A., Dusek J., Kessel B., Freizinger M.: Impact of group psychological interventions on pregnancy rates in infertile women, „Fertility and Sterility” 73: 2000, nr 4, pp. 805-811.

Drosdzol A., Skrzypulec V., Buchacz P., Bakon I.: Psychological and socio-cultural aspects of infertility, „Annales Academiae Medicae Silesiensis” 60: 2006, nr 5, pp. 438-443.

Emery M., Béran MD., Darwiche J., Oppizzi L., Joris V., Capel R., Guex P., Garmond M.: Results from a prospective, randomized, controlled study evaluation the acceptability and effects of routine pre-IVF counselling, „Human Reproduction” 18: 2003, nr 12, pp. 2647–2653.

ESHRE Capri Workshop Group. Diagnosis and management of the infertile couple: missing information, „Human Reproduction Update” 10: 2004, nr 4, pp. 295-307.

Fisch H., Goluboff E.T.: Geographic variations in sperm counts: a potential cause of bias in studies of semen quality, “Fertility and Sterility” 65: 1996, nr 5, pp. 909-911.

Gnoth C., Godehardt E., Frank-Herrmann P., Triol K., Tigges J., Freundl G.: Definition and prevalence of subfertility and infertility, “Human Reproduction” 20: 2005, nr 5, pp. 1144–1147.

Kainz K.: The role of the psychologist in the evaluation and treatment of infertility, „Womens Health Issues” 11: 2001, nr 6, pp. 481–485.

Lee T.Y., Sun G.H., Chao S.C.: The effect of an infertility diagnosis on the distress, marital and sexual satisfaction between husbands and wives in Taiwan, „Human Reproduction” 16: 2001, nr 8, pp. 1762-1767.

Łepecka-Klusek C.: The life attitudes of spouses in involuntary childlessness. Rozprawa habilitacyjna, Lublin: Medical University of Lublin 2008.

Łepecka-Klusek C.: The position of the woman in the childless married couple, „Ginekologia Polska” 68: 1997, nr 5b, pp. 204-208.

Łepecka-Klusek C., Bokiniec M.: Self-evaluation of men from childless married couples after receiving information about the sperm value, „Ginekologia Polska” 65: 1994, nr 1, pp. 24-28.

Łepecka-Klusek C., Pilewska-Kozak A.B., Jakiel G.: Infertility – a disease or not according to the WHO definition, „Medycyna Ogólna i Nauki o Zdrowiu” 18: 2012, nr 2, pp. 163-166.

Matsubayashi H., Hosaka T., Izumi S., Suzuki T., Kondo A., Makino T.: Increased depression and anxiety in infertile Japanese women resulting from lack of husband's support and feelings of stress, „General Hospital Psychiatry” 26: 2004, nr 5, pp. 398-404.

McNaughton-Cassill M.E., Bostwick M., Vanscoy S.E., Artur N.J., Hickman T.N., Robinson R.D., Neal G.S.: Development of brief stress management support groups for couples undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment, „Fertility and Sterility” 74: 2000, nr 1, p. 87-93.

McNaughton-Cassill M.E., Bostwick J.M., Arthur N.J., Robinson R.D., Neal G.S.: Efficacy of brief couples support groups developed to manage the stress of in vitro fertilization treatment, „Mayo Clinic Proceedings” 77: 2002, nr 10, pp. 1060-1166.

Mindes EJ., Ingram K.M., Kliewer W., James C.A.: Longitudinal analyses of the relationship between unsupportive social interactions and psychological adjustment among women with fertility problems, “Social Science & Medicine” 56: 2003, nr 10, pp. 2165-2180.

Olsen J., Küppers-Chinnow M., Spinelli A.: Seeking medical help for subfecundity: a study based upon surveys in five European countries, „Fertility and Sterility” 66: 1996, nr 1, pp. 95–100.

Omu F.E., Omu A.E.: Emotional reaction to diagnosis of infertility in Kuwait and successful clients' perception of nurses' role during treatment, „BMC Nursing” 9(5) 2010 doi:10.1186/1472-6955-9-5.

Pasch L., Dunkel-Schetter C., Christensen A.: Differences between husbands' and wives' approach to infertility affect marital communication and adjustment, Fertility and Sterility 77: 2002, nr 6, pp. 1241- 1247.

Payne D., Goedeke S.: Holding together: caring for clients undergoing assisted reproductive technologies. Journal of Advanced Nursing 60: 2007, nr 6, pp. 645-53.

Radwan J.: Niepłodność i rozród wspomagany, Poznań: Wydawnictwo Medyczne Termedia 2005.

Salakos N., Roupa Z., Sotiropoulou P., Grigoriou O.: Family planning and psychological support for infertile couples, „European Journal Contraception Reproductive Health Care” 9: 2004, nr 1, pp. 47–51.

Salvatore P.,Gariboldi S.,Offidani A.,Coppola F.,Amore M.,Maggini C.: Psychopathology, personalisty and marital relationship in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization procedures, „Fertility and Sterility” 75: 2001, nr 6, pp. 1119-1125.

Schmidt L.: Infertility and assisted reproduction in Denmark. Epidemiology and psychosocial consequences, “Danish Medical Bulletin” 53: 2006, nr 4, pp. 390-417.

Schmidt L., Holstein B.E., Boivin J., Sangren H., Tjornhoj-Thomsen T., Blaabjerg J., Hald F., NyboeAndersen A., Rasmussen P.E.: Patients` attitudes to medical and psychosocjal aspects of care in fertility clinics: findings from the Copenhagen Multi-centre Psychosocial Infertility (COMPI) Research Programme, „Human Reproduction” 18: 2003, nr 3, pp. 628-637.

Schmidt L., Holstein B.E., Christensen U., Boivin J.: Communication and coping as predictors of fertility problem stress: cohort study of 816 participants who did not achieve a delivery after 12 months of fertility treatment, „Human Reproduction” 20: 2005, nr 11, pp. 3248-56.

Sęk H., Cieślak R.: Wsparcie społeczne, stres i zdrowie, Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN 2004.

Sherrod R.A.: Understanding the emotional aspects of infertility: implications for nursing practice, „Journal Psychosocial Nursing Mental Health Services” 42: 2004, nr 3, pp. 40-47.

Stammer H., Wischmann T., Verres R.: Counselling and couple therapy for infertile couples, „Family Process” 41: 2002, nr 1, pp. 111–122.

The ESHRE Capri Workshop Group Social determinants of human reproduction, „Human Reproduction” 16: 2001, nr 7, pp. 1518-1526.

WHO Manual for the Standardized Investigation and Diagnosis of the Infertile Couple, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2000.

WHO Current Practices and Controversies in Assisted Reproduction. Report of a meeting on Medical, Ethical and Social Aspects of Assisted Reproduction. World Health Organization Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data, Geneva 2002, pp.15–396.

Vayena E., Rowe PJ., Griffin P.D. (Eds.): Report of a WHO meeting 2001. Current practices and controversies in assisted reproduction, Geneva: WHO 2002, p. 156.