Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T07:30:40.069Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 2 - Reproductive Psychology and Fertility Counseling

from I - Introduction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 November 2022

By
Susan Klock
Edited by
Sharon N. Covington
Sharon N. Covington
Affiliation:
Shady Grove Fertility, Rockville, MD
Get access

Summary

This chapter provides an overview of the psychology of infertility as an aspect of reproductive psychology, and the field of fertility counseling.The changing role of reproduction in modern society is reviewed.Major theories related to reproductive psychology, including grief and loss, stress and coping, as well as posttraumatic growth are discussed. Additionally, the history of infertility counseling is described. The US and international guidelines for the provision of psychological services, both assessment and counseling, are provided.The formats for the provision of clinical care are discussed and the clinical research on the impact of psychological services is reviewed. The qualifications for mental health professionals practicing as fertility counselors are also included.

Keywords

infertilitypsychologyreproductioncounselingassessmenttherapygriefposttraumatic growthfertility counseling
Type
Chapter
Information
Fertility Counseling: Clinical Guide , pp. 31 - 38
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Griel, AL. Not Yet Pregnant: Infertile Couples in Contemporary America. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1991.Google Scholar
Hoffman, LW, Hoffman, M. The value of children to parents: In: Fawcett, JT, Ed. Psychological Perspectives on Population. New York, NY: Basic Books, 1973: 19–73.Google Scholar
Fritz, M, Speroff, L, Eds. Clinical Gynecology, Endocrinology and Infertility, 8th edn. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2011: 1157.Google Scholar
Van Balen, F. Late parenthood among subfertile and fertile couples: motivations and educational goals. Patient Educ Couns 2005;59:276–282.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boivin, J. International estimates of infertility prevalence and treatment seeking potential need and demand for infertility medical care. Hum Reprod 2007;22:1506–1512.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bowlby, J. The making and breaking of affectional bonds. BJP 1977;130:201–210.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Menning, B. The emotional needs of infertile couples. Fertil Steril 1980;34:313–319.Google ScholarPubMed
Mahlstedt, P. The psychological component of infertility. Fertil Steril 1985;43:335–342.Google ScholarPubMed
Wischmann, T. Sexual disorders in infertile couples: an update. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol 2013;25:220–222.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
RESOLVE. Insurance coverage in your state. Available from: www.resolve.org [last accessed June 15, 2022]].Google Scholar
Miall, CE. Perceptions of informal sanctioning and the stigma of involuntary childlessness. Deviant Behav 1985;6:383–403.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stanton, A. Cognitive appraisal, coping processes and adjustment to infertility. In: Stanton, A and Dunkel-Schetter, C, Eds. Infertility: Perspectives from Stress and Coping Research. New York, NY: Plenum Press, 1992: 87–108.Google Scholar
Verhaak, C, Smeenk, J, Evers, A, Kremer, J, Kraaimaat, F, Braat, D. Women’s emotional adjustment to IVF: a systematic review of 25 years of research. Hum Reprod Update 2007;13:27–36.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Folkman, S, Moskowitz, J. Coping: pitfalls and promises. Annu Rev Psychol 2004;55:745–774.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boivin, J, Griffiths, E, Venetis, CA. Emotional distress in infertile women and failure of assisted reproductive technologies: meta-analysis of prospective psychosocial studies. BMJ 2011;23(342):223.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tedeschi, R, Calhoun, L. Posttraumatic growth: conceptual foundations and empirical evidence. Psychological Inquiry 2004:15:1–18.Google Scholar
Schmidt, L, Holstein, C, Chistensen, U, Boivin, J. Does infertility cause marital benefit? An epidemiological study of 2250 women and men in fertility treatment. Patient Educ Counsel 2005;59:244–251.Google Scholar
Kong, L, Fang, M, Ma, T, et al. Positive affect mediates the relationships between resilience, social support and posttraumatic growth of women with infertility. Psychol Health Med 2018;23:707–716.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blyth, E. Guidelines for infertility counseling in different countries: is there an emerging trend? Hum Reprod 2012;27:2046–2057.Google Scholar
Practice Committee and the Mental Health Professional Group, American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Guidance on Qualifications for Fertility Counselors, 2021. www.fertstert.org [last accessed June 15, 2022].Google Scholar
Human Fertilization and Embryo Authority. Code of Practice. London: HFEA, 1991.Google Scholar
Australian and New Zealand Infertility Counselor’s Association Guidelines for Professional Standards of Practice in Infertility Counseling. 2003.Google Scholar
Psychology and Counseling Special Interest Group. Guidelines on psychosocial care by healthcare professionals in infertility and medically assisted reproduction. Available from: www.eshre.eu/Specialty-Groups/Special-Interest-Groups/Psychology-Counselling/ [last accessed June 15, 2022].Google Scholar
Counseling Special Interest Group, Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society. Assisted Human Reproduction Counseling Practice Guidelines. December 2009. Available from: https://cfas.ca/counsellors-sig.html [last accessed June 15, 2022].Google Scholar
Baldur-Felskov, B, Kjaer, S, Albieri, V, et al. Psychiatric disorders in women with fertility problems: results from a large Danish register-based cohort study. Hum Reprod 2013;28:683–690.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jaffee, J. Reproductive trauma: psychotherapy for pregnancy loss and infertility clients from a reproductive story perspective. Psychotherapy 2017;54;380–385.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peterson, B, Boivin, J, Norre, J, Smith, C, Thorn, P, Wischmann, T. An introduction to infertility counseling: a guide for mental health and medical professionals. J Assist Reprod Genet 2012:29:243–248.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boivin, J. A review of psychosocial interventions in infertility. Soc Sci Med 2003;57:2325–2341.Google Scholar
Gameiro, S, Boivin, J, Domar, A. Optimal in vitro fertilization in 2020 should reduce treatment burden and enhance care delivery for patients and staff. Fertil Steril 2013;100:302–309.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×