Experiences of involuntary childlessness and treatment in the UK: what has changed in 20 years?

Abstract

This study examined the financial, emotional and relationship impacts of involuntary childlessness and treatment, and the satisfaction with support from professionals. 796 participants in the UK completed an online survey based on a similar survey conducted in 1997. 55% of participants had to pay for at least part of their treatment. High levels of distress were experienced and 42% experienced suicidal feelings at least occasionally. Those most at risk of distress and suicidal feelings had experienced unsuccessful treatment outcomes, spent longer trying to conceive and reported some relationship strains. While 75% would like to have received counselling if it had been free, 45% only received such counselling and 54% of these had to fund some of it themselves. Although advances have been made in improving the availability of funded treatment and psychological support, involuntary childlessness and treatment continue to have financial, emotional and relationship consequences for many people. While counselling was generally reported to be useful, an approach involving all fertility clinic staff in the psychosocial care of clients is advisable.

Keywords:

• Involuntary childlessness
• fertility treatment
• distress
• counselling
• support
• funding

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Emma Hughes for her support with data analysis.

Disclosure statement

Susan Seenan is a former Chief Executive of Fertility Network UK. She contributed to designing and promoting the survey and commented on the draft manuscript but was not involved in data analysis and interpretation which was conducted independently by the other authors.

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Fertility Network UK.