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Human Reproduction, Vol. 14, No. 5, 1384-1391, May 1999
© 1999 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Why are infertile patients not using psychosocial counselling?

J. Boivin1,4, L.C. Scanlan2 and S.M. Walker3

1 School of Psychology and 2 Cardiff Law School, Cardiff University, PO Box 901, Cardiff CF1 3YG and 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Wales, College of Medicine, UK

The purpose of this study was to examine the sources of support that infertile patients relied on when distressed, and the factors that prevented them from using psychosocial counselling. The sample consisted of 143 infertile patients (49 couples plus 45 additional women) who were in their mid-thirties and had been infertile for approximately 6 years. Before their clinic appointment, participants completed (anonymously) a short questionnaire concerning various sources of support and factors related to the uptake of counselling. The results showed that patients relied primarily on their spouse and family when distressed, rather than on formal support resources such as psychosocial counselling. The principal reason preventing patients from using counselling varied as a function of current distress level. Less distressed patients reported that the coping resources available to them were sufficient to cope with the strains of infertility, while the more distressed patients failed to initiate contact with a counsellor because of practical concerns such as knowing who to contact and/or the cost of counselling. The findings of this study indicate that alternative ways of intervening with infertile patients would need to be developed, as few use the type of psychosocial services most frequently offered.

Key words: counselling/infertility/in-vitro fertilization/psychology/stress

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