Psychosomatic infertility

Rothman, David J.; Kaplan, Alex H.; Nettles, Elizabeth

doi:10.1016/s0002-9378(16)35844-6

Cited by 20 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Some investigators have found that infertile couples have an unusual personality profile, which might be a cause as well as a consequence of infertility [13]. Tendency to reserve, introversion, mistrust, anxiety, guilt feeling, excessive attachment to one’s own ideas, poor availability and flexibility, and excessive concern about formality were significantly more marked in infertile partners than in fertile controls [14,15]. However only few studies have assessed the psychosocial and personality features related to infertility, with contradictory results [13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Procreative sex in infertile couples: the decay of pleasure?

Marci

Graziano

Piva

et al. 2012

Health Qual Life Outcomes

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BackgroundInfertility represents a major challenge to the emotional balance and sexual life of couples, with long-lasting and gender-specific effects. The objective of this study is to explore personality features of infertile patients and detect possible sexual disorders in couples undergoing infertility treatment.Materials and methodsIn this prospective study 60 infertile couples and 52 fertile control couples were asked to complete standardized and validated questionnaires: the Adjective Check List (ACL) to enquire about personality features and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) or the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) to assess sexual functioning of female and male partners. The study population was divided into 3 groups: Group A (N = 30, recently diagnosed infertile couples) Group B (N = 30, infertile couples already undergoing Intrauterine Insemination) and Group C (N = 52, fertile control group).ResultsInfertile patients did not display any distinguishing personality features. Regarding sexual function, men of all the three groups scored higher in both questionnaires (sexual satisfaction, desire and orgasm) than their female partners. Comparing results between groups, Group A male partners obtained lower scores in all the subscales. Women belonging to Group A and Group B showed an impairment of sexual arousal, satisfaction, lubrification and orgasm when compared to fertile controls.ConclusionsEven if at the very first stages of infertility treatment no personality disturbances can be detected, the couples’ sexual life is already impaired with different sexual disorders according to gender.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Procreative sex in infertile couples: the decay of pleasure?

Marci

Graziano

Piva

et al. 2012

Health Qual Life Outcomes

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Traits such as introversion, mistrust, excessive attachment tendency, and anxious preoccupations dominate the personality profiles of infertile couples when compared with their fertile counterparts (Rothman et al, 1962). A personality trait neuroticism which was mentioned by Eysenck (1983) and characterized by low tolerance for stress, negative affectivity, and emotional instability predicts a higher level of emotional response (Carver et al, 2010;Hotard et al, 1989).…”

Section: General Articlementioning

confidence: 99%

Importance of Personality Factors in Determining the Psychological Consequences of Infertility: A Systematic Review

Darolia

Ghosh

2021

Health Educ Behav

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Background and purpose The diagnosis of infertility not only involves biological but the psychosocial links have also been established. Individual difference variables, such as personality and temperament have been found playing prominent role in modifying the psychological and biological aspects of infertility. This systematic review aimed to examine evidence-based research on the role of personality traits in determining vulnerability to stress in infertility, understand the gender-based differences, and deliver suggestions for future researches. Method The search for studies relating to the variables was accomplished using various electronic databases. The search was kept limited to a time span of about 20 years, that is, from January 2000 to April 2020. Additional researches were collected from library source and others were retrieved by contacting experts. Studies were selected on the basis of a predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and quality of the studies was also taken into account. Results The search of studies through above methods was fruitful in identifying 23 studies including six longitudinal and prospective studies, and 17 cross-sectional studies covering both individual- and model-based personality attributes related findings. The overall quality ratings of the studies ranged from fair to good. Conclusion The review revealed that personality factors such as neuroticism, harm avoidance, and psychoticism are the potential risk factors, whereas optimism has a protective impact in the context of fertility disorders. The long-term impact of personality on infertility needs further exploration. Trait modification interventions during the treatment of infertility were also suggested in the light of previous findings.

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“…Historically, psychogenic factors were regarded as possible etiological determinants of infertility (Benedek, 1952;Deutsch, 1945;Fischer, 1953;Rothman, Kaplan, & Nettles, 1962). During the 1970s, women in Boston who were experiencing infertility gathered to talk about the stress that accompanied their treat-ment.…”

Section: Infertilitymentioning

confidence: 99%