What do women want? Women's experiences of infertility treatment

Finnish women's experiences of infertility treatment were investigated by e xamining their satisfaction and dissatisfaction. acid their most positive a nd negative experiences with the treatment. Three hundred and forty four (1 6%) out of the 2189 women respondents to a 1994 postal survey (response rat e 74%) had experienced difficulties in having a baby. Two-thirds had sought medical help, generally from private gynaecologists. Less than half of the women were satisfied with the infertility treatment. expressing less satis faction than is generally found among health care clients. Dissatisfied wom en were mure often 35-39 years of age, in treatment during the study period , in treatment in public clinics and not successful in having a baby. Howev er. about one-third of the women were unsure about or did not give their op inion in regard to satisfaction. The subsequent birth of a baby was the mos t common reason for satisfaction. The most positive treatment experience wa s respectful, empathic and personal care from the doctor. Unsatisfactory en counters with health care personnel were the main reasons for dissatisfacti on and were most often cited as the most negative treatment experience. Thi s dissatisfaction could reflect relatively young and healthy women's assert ive attitudes toward infertility care services in the context of the intima cy and vulnerability of childlessness. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All r ights reserved.