The role of psychological interventions in the infertility treatment

Authors

  • Diana-Antonia Iordăchescu Facultatea de Psihologie și Științele Educației, Universitatea din București

Keywords:

infertility, emotional disorders, psychological counseling, psychoeducation, couples

Abstract

Infertility is a reproductive health problem, very sensitive and difficult for couples, which causes significant pressure on their interpersonal relationships, as well as personal distress, low self-esteem, guilt, anxiety and depression. This article emphasizes the role and the importance of the psychologist and the therapeutic counseling in the case of couples facing infertility. In addition, different medical and psychological aspects that are associated with this diagnosis are described. Treating couples and people with infertility is an opportunity for clinical psychologists. The role of psychoeducation for couples who go through assisted human reproduction treatment is important in managing the difficulties they are experiencing and can also add value to the medical process.

References

ADMINISTRAȚIA SPITALELOR ȘI SERVICIILOR MEDICALE BUCUREȘTI, PRIMĂRIA CAPITALEI, O Șansă pentru Cuplurile infertile, 2019, http://fiv2.assmb.ro/#info accesat la 25.05.2020.

ASOCIAȚIA PENTRU REPRODUCERE UMANĂ DIN ROMÂNIA, Primul studiu de analiză a problemelor de infertilitate din România, 2018, https://www.arur.ro/2018/06/18/855/ accesat la 20.02.2020.

ATIA, M.M., SALLAM L.E., The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training Techniques on Stress, Anxiety, and Depression of Depressed Patient, American Journal of Nursing Research, 8, 1, p. 103–113.

BOIVIN, J., A review of psychosocial interventions in infertility, Social Science & Medicine, 57, 12, 2003, p. 2325–2341.

CHOW, K., CHEUNG, M., CHEUNG, I.K., Psychosocial interventions for infertile couples: A critical review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 25, 15–16, 2016, p. 2101–2113.

COVINGTON, SHARON N., BURNS, LINDA HAMMER, Infertility counseling: A comprehensive handbook for clinicians, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2006.

CWIKEL, J., SHEINER, E., GIDRON, Y., Psychological interactions with infertility among women, European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 117, 2004, p. 126–131.

DE FARIA, D.E.P., GRIECO, S.C., DE BARROS, S.M.O., The effects of infertility on the spouses' relationship, Revista Da Escola De Enfermagem Da U S P, 46, 4, 2012, p. 794.

DOMAR, A.D., CLAPP, D., SLAWSBY, E., KESSEL, B., ORAV, J., FREIZINGER, M., The impact of group psychological interventions on distress in infertile women, Health Psychology, 19, 6, 2000, p. 568–575.

EBRAHIMIFAR, M., HOSSEINIAN, S., SAFFARIYAN TOSI, M.R., ABEDI, M.R., To Compare of the Effectiveness of training based on “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy” and “Compassion Focused Therapy” on Self-efficacy, Quality of Relations and Meaning in Life in Infertile Women, JHPM, 8, 3, 2019, p. 10–18.

FERNANDES, A., SKOTNES, L.L., MAJOR, M., FALCÃO, P.F., Clinicians’ Perceptions of Norwegian Women’s Experiences of Infertility Diseases, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17, 2020, p. 993.

FREDERIKSEN, Y., FARVER-VESTERGAARD, I., SKOVGÅRD, N.G., INGERSLEV, H.J., ZACHARIAE, R., Efficacy of psychosocial interventions for psychological and pregnancy outcomes in infertile women and men: A systematic review and meta-analysis, BMJ Open, 5, 1, 2015, p. e006592–e006592.

GILBERT, P., Introducing compassion-focused therapy. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 15, 3, 2009, p. 199–208.

GRABOVAC, A.D., LAU, M.A., WILLETT, B.R., Mechanisms of mindfulness: A buddhist psychological model, Mindfulness, 2, 3, 2011, p. 154–166, doi:10.1007/s12671-011-0054-5

HÄMMERLI, K., ZNOJ, H., BARTH, J., The efficacy of psychological interventions for infertile patients: A meta-analysis examining mental health and pregnancy rate. Human Reproduction Update, 15, 3, 2009, p. 279–295.

HART, V.A., Infertility and the role of psychotherapy, Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 23, 1, 2002, p. 31–41.

HAYES, S.C., LUOMA, J.B., BOND, F.W., MASUDA, A., & LILLIS, J., Acceptance and commitment therapy: Model, processes and outcomes, Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44, 1, 2006, p. 1–25.

HOFMANN, S.G., ASNAANI, A., VONK, I.J.J., SAWYER, A.T., FANG, A, The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses, Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36, 5, 2012, p. 427–440.

HOSAKA, T., MATSUBAYASHI, H., SUGIYAMA, Y., IZUMI, S., & MAKINO, T., Effect of psychiatric group intervention on natural-killer cell activity and pregnancy rate. General Hospital Psychiatry, 24, 5, 2002, p. 353–356.

KUPKA, M.S., DORN, C., RICHTER, O., SCHMUTZLER, A., VAN DER VEN, H., KULCZYCKI, A., Stress relief after infertility treatment-spontaneous conception, adoption and psychological counselling, European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 110, 2, 2003, p. 190–195.

MAINS, L., ZIMMERMAN, M., BLAINE, J., STEGMANN, B., SPARKS, A., ANSLEY, T., VAN VOORHIS, B., Achievement test performance in children conceived by IVF, Human Reproduction, 25, 10, 2010, p. 2605–2611.

MALIK, S.H., COULSON, N.S., Coping with infertility online: An examination of self-help mechanisms in an online infertility support group, Patient Education and Counselling, 81, 2, 2010, p. 315–318.

MALINA, A., POOLEY, J.A., Psychological consequences of IVF fertilization - review of research, Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine: AAEM, 24, 4, 2017, p. 554–558.

MCCALLUM, M., PIPER, W.E., OGRODNICZUK, J.S., JOYCE, A.S., Early process and dropping out from short-term group therapy for complicated grief, Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 6, 3, 2002, p. 243–254, doi:10.1037/1089-2699.6.3.243

MORENO ROSSET, C., JENARO RÍO, C., ANTEQUERA JURADO, R., Validación del Cuestionario de Desajuste Emocional y Recursos Adaptativos en Infertilidad (DERA). Validation of the Emotional Maladjustment and Adaptive Resources in infertility questionnaire- DERA, Psicothema, 21, 1, 2009, p. 118–123.

MOURA-RAMOS, M., GAMEIRO, S., CANAVARRO, M., SOARES, I., Assessing infertility stress: Re-examining the factor structure of the Fertility Problem Inventory, Human Reproduction, 27, 2, 2012, p. 496–505.

NGUYEN, R.H, WILCOX, A.J., Terms in reproductive and perinatal epidemiology: I. Reproductive terms, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 59, 11, 2005, p. 916.

RICH, C.W., DOMAR, A.D., Addressing the emotional barriers to access to reproductive care, Fertility and Sterility, 105, 5, 2016, p. 1124–1127.

ROONEY, K.L., DOMAR, A.D., The relationship between stress and infertility. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 20, 1, 2018, p. 41.

SCHMIDT, L., Infertility and assisted reproduction in Denmark. Epidemiology and psychosocial consequences, Danish Medical Bulletin, 53, 4, 2006, p. 390–417.

TUSCHEN-CAFFIER, B., FLORIN, I., KRAUSE, W., & POOK, M., Cognitive-behavioral therapy for idiopathic infertile couples, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 68, 1, 1999, p. 15–21.

VERKUIJLEN, J., VERHAAK, C.M., NELEN, W.L.D.M., WILKINSON, J., FARQUHAR, C., Psychological and educational interventions for subfertile men and women, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 3, 2016, p. Cd011034.

WISCHMANN, T., Implications of psychosocial support in infertility – a critical appraisal, Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 29, 2, 2008, p. 83–90.

YILMAZ, T., YAZICI, S., BENLI, T., Factors associated with infertility distress of infertile women: A cross-sectional study, Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2020, P. 1–7.

YING, L., WU, L.H., LOKE, A.Y., The effects of psychosocial interventions on the mental health, pregnancy rates, and marital function of infertile couples undergoing in vitro fertilization: a systematic review, Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, 33, 2016, p. 689–701.

ZEGERS-HOCHSCHILD, F., ADAMSON, G.D., DYER, S., RACOWSKY, C., DE MOUZON, J., SOKOL, R., . . . VAN DER POEL, S. The international glossary on infertility and fertility care, 2017, Fertility and Sterility, 108, 3, 2017, p. 393–406.

Published

01-06-2020

Issue

Section

Theoretical and practical approaches

How to Cite

The role of psychological interventions in the infertility treatment. (2020). Revista De Psihologie, 66(2), 167-178. https://www.journalofpsychology.ro/index.php/RP/article/view/16