What is the psychological and social
impact of
infertility?
Psychological
impact
Infertility may have
profound psychological effects.
Partners may become more anxious to
conceive, ironically increasing sexual
dysfunction.
Marital discord often develops in
infertile couples, especially when they
are under pressure to make medical
decisions. Women trying to conceive
often have clinical depression rates
similar to women who have heart disease
or cancer. Even couples undertaking IVF
face considerable stress, especially
the female partner.
Social impact
In many cultures,
inability to conceive bears a stigma.
In closed social groups, a degree of
rejection (or a sense of being rejected
by the couple) may cause considerable
anxiety and disappointment. Some
respond by actively avoiding the issue
altogether; middle-class men are the
most likely to respond in this way.
Groups like INCIID provide social
support and disseminate information to
lessen the burden.
Infertility and the Law
There
are legal ramifications as well.
Infertility has begun to gain more
exposure to legal domains. An estimated
4 million workers in the U.S. used the
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in
2004 to care for a child, parent or
spouse, or because of their own
personal illness. Many treatments for
infertility, including diagnostic
tests, surgery and therapy for
depression, can qualify one for FMLA
leave.
