The effect of an infertility diagnosis on treatment-related stresses

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an infertility dia gnosis on treatment-related stresses. One hundred infertile Chinese couples participated in this study. Three structured questionnaires were used to a nalyze the differences between husbands and wives. As a group wives appear to experience significantly more stress from infertility tests and treatmen t than their husbands, regardless of whether female infertility was present . Husbands with mixed or idiopathic infertility experienced less stress to infertility than husbands with only male infertility or female infertility. Wives with mixed or idiopathic infertility experienced less stress to infe rtility than wives with only a female infertility. Marital duration, time i n treatment, and the number of AIH or IVF procedures were positively relate d to the wives' stress level, whereas only number of NF procedures was posi tively related to the husbands' stress level. Interventions to enhance the infertility treatment experience are suggested.