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Description
Psychological distress and infertility are linked in a complex pattern, such that distress may be a cause of infertility and reduce the probability of achieving a pregnancy at the same time that infertility may be a cause of psychological distress. Although infertile women are not more likely to be characterized by psychopathology, they are more likely to experience higher levels of distress than comparison groups. Infertile men also experience psychological distress, but women experience more infertility distress than men. Both infertility and its treatment are stressors putting a heavy psychological strain on couple relationships. Whereas there is general agreement about the need for psychological interventions to treat infertility distress, little is known about the efficacy and effectiveness of psychosocial intervention. Given the prevalence of infertility and the fact that the numbers of individuals and couples seeking infertility treatments are increasing, it is essential that mental health professionals understand the emotional challenges faced by this population.
ISBN
9780199778072
Publication Date
1-2014
Publisher
Oxford University Press
City
Oxford, UK
Keywords
infertility, psychological distress, coping, stress, interventions
Disciplines
Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling | Psychology
Recommended Citation
Greil, A.L., Schmidt, L., & Peterson, B. (2014). Understanding and treating the psychosocial consequences of infertility. In A. Wenzel (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Perinatal Psychology. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Copyright
Oxford University Press
Comments
In Amy Wenzel (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Perinatal Psychology.