Stigma: The hidden burden of infertility

Whiteford, Linda M.; Gonzalez, Lois

doi:10.1016/0277-9536(94)00124-c

Cited by 263 publications

(187 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Lund, Sejbaek, Christensen, & Schmidt, 2009;Baldar-Felskov et al, 2012;Lopes & Leal, 2012). According to some authors, infertile women often feel unaccepted by society, which triggers anxiety and a sense of guilt (Greil, Shreffer, Schmist, & McQuillan, 1997;Wischamann, Stammer, Scherg, Gerhard, & Verres, 2001;Bidzan, 2010;Whiteford & Gonzales, 1995;Mindes, Ingram, Kliewer, & James, 2003;Weiss, Mateju, & Urbanek, 2004;Noorbala et al, 2008;Lopes & Leal, 2012). Often in the course of infertility new personality traits, mostly neurotic ones, are revealed in women (Bidzan, 2010;Weiss et al, 2004;Noorbala et al, 2008;cf.…”

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confidence: 99%

Psychological determinants of life satisfaction in women undergoing infertility treatment

Dembińska¹

2016

Health Psychology Report

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Background Infertility treatment is a long-term process, spread out over months, or even years, and carries no guarantee of success. It generates an incessant state of uncertainty which becomes a chronic state of psychological discomfort. Each stage of treatment may become a source of more trouble. Women deciding to undergo infertility treatment are exposed to many negative feelings concerning different aspects of their life. Participants and procedure The present study was an attempt to understand psychological determinants of life satisfaction in women undergoing infertility treatment. The study group included 470 women treated for infertility. Results Patients perceiving more social support in general, as well as more of the support types used in the study, i.e. emotional, instrumental, informational and institutional support, and support from family and friends, have better self-esteem, higher acceptance of their infertility, higher satisfaction with life, higher hope as an emotional state, and lower levels of anxiety and depression. Three negative emotional states, i.e. anxiety, depression and irritation, are predictors influencing (lowering) life satisfaction of women struggling with infertility. The strongest of these predictors is depression, which is also a factor lowering the acceptance of one’s own infertility. The conducted analyses revealed that predictors influencing the life satisfaction of patients treated for infertility are self-esteem and acceptance of one’s own infertility (apart from the aforementioned emotional state – anxiety, depression, irritation). It was found that the higher the self-esteem and acceptance of one’s own infertility, the higher was the satisfaction with life. Conclusions Knowledge of these determinants is extremely valuable for medical personnel conducting treatments, because, according to many studies, the psychological state of women suffering from procreation problems is connected not only with effectiveness of the used procedures, but mostly with psychological support provided for such women.

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confidence: 99%

Psychological determinants of life satisfaction in women undergoing infertility treatment

Dembińska¹

2016

Health Psychology Report

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“…nfertility and subfertility affect between 10 and 15% of couples with ∼50% of cases attributable to some form of male factor (1). Of the known causes and/or cofactors of male infertility, 13-15% of cases have been shown to result from infection or inflammation of the male reproductive tract (2,3).…”

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confidence: 99%

Testosterone Replacement Effectively Inhibits the Development of Experimental Autoimmune Orchitis in Rats: Evidence for a Direct Role of Testosterone on Regulatory T Cell Expansion

Fijak

Schneider

Klug

et al. 2011

The Journal of Immunology

181

154

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Despite the immune-privileged status of the male genital tract, infection and inflammation of the male genital tract are important etiological factors in male infertility. A common observation in clinical and experimental orchitis as well as in systemic infection and inflammation are decreased levels of testosterone. Emerging data point to an immunosuppressive role of testosterone. In our study, we substituted testosterone levels in experimental autoimmune orchitis (EAO) in rat by s.c. testosterone implants. EAO development was reduced to 17% when animals were treated with low-dose testosterone implants (3 cm long, EAO+T3) and to 33% when rats were supplied with high-dose testosterone implants (24 cm, EAO+T24) compared with 80% of animals developing disease in the EAO control group. In the testis, testosterone replacement in EAO animals prevented the accumulation of macrophages and significantly reduced the number of CD4+ T cells with a strong concomitant increase in the number of regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+) compared with EAO control. In vitro testosterone treatment of naive T cells led to an expansion of the regulatory T cell subset with suppressive activity and ameliorated MCP-1–stimulated chemotaxis of T lymphocytes in a Transwell assay. Moreover, expression of proinflammatory mediators such as MCP-1, TNF-α, and IL-6 in the testis and secretion of Th1 cytokines such as IFN-γ and IL-2 by mononuclear cells isolated from testicular draining lymph nodes were decreased in the EAO+T3 and EAO+T24 groups. Thus, our study shows an immunomodulatory and protective effect of testosterone substitution in the pathogenesis of EAO and suggests androgens as a new factor in the differentiation of regulatory T cells.

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“…The proliferation of these technologies represents a medical industrialised approach to the problem of infertility where new techniques reconstruct an unachievable pregnancy as a not yet achieved pregnancy. Although this belies the reality that for many this is beset by unattainability, enormous personal cost and frequent failure, the image of endless possibilities is portrayed in the media which reinforces the authority of biomedicine (Whiteford and Gonzalez 1995). It is unsurprising therefore, that respondents identified NRT as the solution, a means by which to overcome the uncertainty of infertility.…”

Section: "I Know If I Think We'll Try For a Baby I Know Roughly Whenmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Their bodies have been socially constructed in terms of reproductive capability and function, viewed as production units in the commodified production of children (Martin 1987). In a society where infertility represents a flawed social identity (Whiteford and Gonzalez 1995), an infection with the propensity to damage reproductive capability represents a threat to their identity as mother and therefore woman.…”

Section: Concerns About Infertilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

An Uncertain Future: Infertility and Chlamydial Infection

Piercy¹

2009

Emotions in Midwifery and Reproduction

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IntroductionThis chapter considers the extent to which women regard an episode of genital chlamydial infection as a threat to their reproductive capabilities and the ways in which they manage the resultant anxieties. This discussion is founded upon the findings from a qualitative research study undertaken in central England which explored the experiences of women who were diagnosed with genital chlamydial infection and the ways in which they made sense of that experience.

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Stigma: The hidden burden of infertility

Cited by 263 publications

References 10 publications

Psychological determinants of life satisfaction in women undergoing infertility treatment

Psychological determinants of life satisfaction in women undergoing infertility treatment

Testosterone Replacement Effectively Inhibits the Development of Experimental Autoimmune Orchitis in Rats: Evidence for a Direct Role of Testosterone on Regulatory T Cell Expansion

An Uncertain Future: Infertility and Chlamydial Infection

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