Psychosocial characteristics of infertile couples: a study by the 'Heidelberg Fertility Consultation Service"

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to identify differences in psychologic al characteristics between couples with fertility disorders, especially idi opathic infertility, and a representative sample. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A t otal of 564 couples was examined using psychological questionnaires pertain ing to sociodemographic factors, motives for wanting a child, dimensions of life satisfaction and couple relationships, physical and psychic complaint s, and a personality inventory. RESULTS: Specific to our sample was the hig h educational level of the couples, and the large number with idiopathic in fertility (27% of all diagnoses). There were no remarkable differences in p sychological variables between the infertile couples and a representative s ample, except that the infertile women showed higher scores on the depressi on and anxiety scales. Couples with idiopathic infertility showed no remark able differences in the questionnaire variables compared with couples with other medical diagnoses of infertility. CONCLUSIONS: A typical psychologica l profile for infertile couples could not be identified using standardized psychometric rating methods. This may be an effect of the specific characte ristics of our sample. For some couples, the infertility crisis can be seen as a cumulative trauma, which indicates that these couples have a marked n eed for infertility counselling.