Abstract
Author(s): ANETA LIBERA, MARTA MISIUDA, BOÅ»ENA LESZCZYÅSKA-GORZELAK, JAN OLESZCZUK
Introduction. The development of assisted reproductive technology has given many infertile couples new hopes and a chance to have offspring. The problem of marital infertility is very serious and difficult because of its inherent psychological, legal, sociological, moral and ethical aspects. Aim of the study. The aim of the study was to analyse the differences in the assessment of psychosocial situation of married couples after infertility treatment, as made by groups of women, selected according to their infertility factor.Material and methods. The study included 92 randomly selected women after treatment with assisted reproductive technology (insemination, IVF). The study was conducted among the patients of the Family Health Centre Ab ovo in Lublin and of the Clinical Hospital of Obstetrics and Perinatology SPSK 4 in Lublin. The results were subjected to statistical analysis with the x2 test of significant difference. Results. The results of the study in groups of women selected according to their infertility factor (female, male, both, or unknown) have revealed differences in the psychosociological evaluation of the couples’ situation with respect to the feelings experienced by the women during infertility treatment and with respect to the effect of the treatment on their relationship with their husbands. No significant differences were discovered in the extent to which the couples informed others of starting infertility treatment, in the evaluation of the effect of the treatment on their sexual life, and in the assessment of the division of responsibility for the organizational aspects of the treatment between the couple. Conclusions. When the diagnosed infertility cause is the male factor, women are more prone to experience anxiety about the process of infertility treatment and they more frequently perceive the effect of the treatment on the relationship with their husband as negative than women whose infertility is due to other factors.