Most infertile couples define infertility treatment as a physical and psychological challenge. Thus, besides physical factors, psychological factors should be optimum for good results.
Why do I want a child?
Having a child is considered to be the continuum of the marriage. Any person has envy to get to the next step in life since birth. So, after marriage comes a child. These successive events make the person more confident to life. Failure in having a child can get the couple far away both from relatives and the society. The person may consider this as a loss of social status and personal failure.
Loss of unborn child and feelings of failure
Another psychological aspect of the infertility is that one partner may take the problem completely as his/her fault. It may be considered as a personal failure. The person may be angry with his own personality and his own body. Loss of an unborn child is difficult to share with others. Solitude adds to these feelings. Feelings are labile at this stage and may fluctuate with each event and test result. Couples might have problems with each other and have to deal with the problem all alone. Couples may be sensitive to any information regarding children.
Am I sick?
Infertility treatment is a challenge for couples. Completely healthy people begin to feel sick. Treatment period is considered as a completely different time of life. The couple gets sensitive to environmental stimuli at this period.
Most difficult time; while waiting
Waiting for an unknown is perhaps the most difficult part of the treatment. This period consists of both hope and sorrow. This period requires psychological support.
Do men and women get influenced differently?
Researches have shown no difference. Although, feelings are similar, their expression and the way the person deals with it might be different.
What are the determinants of psychological status?
Length of the treatment, reason for the treatment, number of treatment cycles, type of treatment and success of the treatment are major determinants. Presence of a previous child also has a major role.
Does stress have a negative impact on the treatment?
Researches failed to prove a direct effect of stress on infertility. Same researches have shown that infertility may cause stress. This stress might be either chronic or acute during treatment cycle. Stress is most intense during the time between embryo transfer and pregnancy testing.
How does infertility affect sexual life?
Repairing effect of sexuality is lost during treatment. Couples live sexuality not because they desire it but because they have to. This renders sexuality a task. Couples may get away from sexuality.
How does infertility affect couples?
As all problems, failure in having a child has a negative impact on the couple. This problem might get the couple closer or might get them far. For those who get far, having a child becomes the only solution for the problem.
What are the goals of psychological support to the infertile couples?
Main goal of the psychological support to the infertile couple is to show them how they may deal with the stress. This supprot aims to minimize the harm to the couple.
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