Human infertility: is medical treatment enough? A cross-sectional study of a sample of Italian couples

Abstract

Objective. To explore infertile couples' well-being, needs and drop-out rates considering their previous gynaecological history, treatments and support received.

Methods. Self-reported questionnaires and a telephone follow-up were used to gather data from a sample of 57 Italian couples undergoing first-step procedures for infertility treatment. The questions concerned socio-demographic and personality factors, global perspective on generation, childbearing motivation, intra-psychic and relational dimensions.

Results. The study found a strong need for psychological and ethical counselling and showed that drop-out rates were related to psychological discontent. Among couples who had a longer history of infertility, those who had no previous treatments presented higher dyadic adjustment than those who had an history of previous treatments. Moreover, the study provides evidences of the stronger need for personal support for couples who had undergone previous treatments, and for psychological and ethical support for couples with previous generative failures. It also showed that there were beneficial effects to attending to couples' religious and ethical needs.

Conclusion. Professional care for those who are undergoing or have undergone fertility treatment should (i) embrace a broader and more comprehensive perspective to understand infertile couples' experience and should (ii) provide appropriate therapy to cope with these experiences.

Keywords:

• Consequences of infertility
• psychosomatic gynaecology
• reproductive medicine
• coping
• counselling psychology

Acknowledgements

The authors express their deepest gratitude to all the couples, the staff of the day-hospital and the two Universities, who have welcomed and supported this research project during its various stages. They warmly thank Prof. Gordon Stirrat for his precious advices, Prof. Anthony Hughes for the statistical consultancy and Dr. Zuzana Deans for having revised the manuscript. Thanks are also due to Prof. Maria Luisa Di Pietro, Prof. Antonio Lanzone, Dr. Lodovico Alfieri and Dr. Ezio Goggi for their encouragements.