engleski

The interaction of personal and partneris correlates of fertility-related quality of life

This study examined how fertility-related quality of life (QoL) is predicted by women’s and men’s own and their partners’ psychosocial functioning in couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatment (ART). Although the range of symptoms was non-clinical, a person's own anxiety and depression symptoms , as well as their partner's fertility-related emotional distress, predict both women's and men's overall fertility- related quality of life (QoL). Infertile couples often have poorer psychosocial functioning compared to fertile ones. Their fertility-related QoL is diminished, and is inversely related to anxiety and depression. Although infertility is a stressor for both members of the couple, few studies have examined the inter-relations of men's and women's psychosocial adjustment. This cross-sectional study of a convenience sample of 94 heterosexual couples preparing for ART treatment in a tertiary clinic was carried out from November 2011 to May 2012. Personal data, depression, anxiety (HADS) and fertility QoL were collected. On average, participants’ age was >30 years, of high-school education, and lived in urban settings ; mean duration of infertility was 3.78±3.29 years, and 85% were preparing for their first ART. Data were analyzed by paired-samples t-tests and multivariate linear regression. The participants' anxiety (women: 5.17±2.94 ; men: 3.6±2.51) and depression symptoms (women: 2.0±1.89 ; men: 2.0±1.96) were in the non-clinical range, and total fertility-related QoL was high (women: 81.6±10.92 ; men: 86.4±8.42). Men reported less anxiety (t=5.02, p<.001), fertility-related emotional distress (t=4.53, p<.001), mind/body issues (t=3.57, p=.001), and social isolation (t=3.67, p<.001), as well as higher overall fertility-related QoL (t=4.02, p<.001). Women’s total fertility QoL was predicted by their own anxiety (β=-.407, p<.001) and depressive symptoms (β=-.295, p=.001), and by their partners’ fertility-related emotional distress (β=.266, p=.001). The predictors of men’s fertility-related QoL were the same (own anxiety: β=-.300, p=.004 ; own depression: β=-.299, p=.004 ; partners’ emotional distress: β=.238, p=.008). The model accounted for 35% (R2=.357) of the variance of men’s, and 53% (R2=.539) of women’s fertility- related QoL. The sample was non-random and included participants from only one ART clinic. Few participants with poor emotional adjustment were included in the sample. There was no follow-up of the psychosocial adjustment of participants. In future research, psychosocial adjustment to infertility should be studied both from an individual and dyadic (couples') perspective. The processes through which men's and women's emotional reactions to infertility interact may be of particular interest. Clinically, programmes aimed at the psychosocial support of ART patients should include both women and men.

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