Cultural Similarities in Psychological Reactions to Infertility

Abstract

A 74-item especially developed and validated questionnaire for Iranian culture was administered three times to 37 Iranian infertile couples and 10 fertile couples acting as control group, namely, initial consultation, during treatment, and on completion of treatment. In view of parallel data also reported for Western patients interest centered on the results of two out of the five factors measured by the questionnaire, i.e., Psychological Stress and Social Behaviour. Analysis generally showed significantly high stress and social withdrawal for the patient group, particularly at initial consultation and after an unsuccessful treatment cycle as compared to the control group. Moreover, men whose partners eventually conceived scored significantly lower on stress than men whose partners did not conceive. Similar results have also been reported for Western infertile patients. The implications of the findings are discussed.

The experience of infertility: a review of recent literature

“…Based on a national probability sample of women in the USA, King (2003) concludes that the effects of sub-fecundity on general anxiety disorder are not moderated by treatment. Some studies show that the length of treatment is not related to the level of stress (Anderson et al 2003), but several researchers have reported contradictory findings (Chiba et al 1997, Nasseri 2000. One unanswered question is whether changes in distress over time are a response to treatment or whether they are a result of the duration of infertility.…”

Women's experiences of childlessness 2 years after the end of in vitro fertilization treatment

“…Emotionally, the experience is similar in different cultures. For example, a childless couple in Iran show the same reaction about social behaviour and psychological stress as couples in western countries do (6). As always, the field of reproductive phenomena is surrounded by numerous strong values and attitudes.…”