Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An introduction to infertility counseling: a guide for mental health and medical professionals

  • ASSISTED REPRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The practice of infertility counseling delivered by mental health and medical professionals has become more sophisticated and widespread over the past decade. This paper summarizes information presented at the second campus workshop of the Special Interest Group of Psychology and Counseling of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). This group is dedicated to improving infertility services by creating meaningful connections between mental health and medical professionals. The paper identifies key issues that infertility counselors must consider in their work with couples experiencing infertility. The use of supportive psychosocial interventions and treatments are highlighted. The paper also details the process for choosing the most appropriate type of infertility counseling, and the use of assessment tools that assist in understanding infertility related symptoms. Infertility counselors should also consider gender differences, the impact of infertility on a couple’s sexual relationship, and the unique challenges couples face regarding third-party conception. Finally, the paper addresses specific recommendations for infertility counselors in mental health and medical settings.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Covington SN, Burns LH, editors. Infertility counseling: A comprehensive handbook for clinicians. 2nd ed. New York: Cambridge University Press; 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Lancastle D, Boivin J. A feasibility study of a brief coping intervention (PRCI) for the waiting period before a pregnancy test during fertility treatment. Hum Reprod. 2008;23:2299–307.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Pook M, Krause W. Stress reduction in male infertility patients: A randomized, controlled trial. Fertil Steril. 2005;83:68–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Tschudin S, Bunting L, Abraham J, Fiander, Gallop-Evans E, Fiander A, Boivin J. Correlates of fertility issues in an Internet survey of cancer survivors. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 2010;31:150–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Boivin J, Domar AD, Shapiro DB, Wischmann TH, Fauser BCJM, Verhaak C. Tackling burden in ART: An integrated approach for medical staff. Hum Reprod. 2012. doi:10.1093/humrep/der467.

  6. Verhaak CM, Lintsen AME, Evers AWM, Braat DDM. Who is at risk of emotional problems and how do you know? Screening of women going for IVF treatment. Hum Reprod. 2010;25:1234–40.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Boivin J, Takefman J, Braverman A. Development and preliminary validation of the fertility quality of life (FertiQoL) tool. Simultaneous publication. Hum Reprod. 2011;26(8):2084–91.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Bunting L, Boivin J. Development and preliminary validation of the Fertility Status Awareness Tool: FertiSTAT. Hum Reprod. 2010;25:1722–33.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Durand MA, Wegwarth O, Boivin J, Elwyn G. Design and usability of heuristic-based deliberation tools for women facing amniocentesis. Heal Expect. 2011;14:1369–7625.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Cousineau TM, Lord SE, Seibring AR, Corsini EA, Viders JC, Lakhani SR. A Multimedia psychosocial support program for couples receiving infertility treatment: a feasibility study. Fertil Steril. 2004;81:532–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Malik S, Coulson NS. Examining self-help mechanisms in a web-based infertility support community. Patient Educ Couns. 2010;81:315–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Tuil WS, ten Hoopen AJ, Braat DDM, de Vries Robbé PF, Kremer JAM. Patient-centred care: using online personal medical records in IVF practice. Hum Reprod. 2006;21:2955–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Strauß B, Boivin J. Counseling within infertility. In: Boivin J, Kentenich H, editors. Guidelines for counseling in infertility. Oxford: University Press; 2002. p. 4–6.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Norré J, Wischmann T. The position of the fertility counsellor in a fertility team: A critical appraisal. Hum Fertil. 2011;14:154–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Thorn P, Wischmann T. German Guidelines for Psychosocial Counseling in the area of gamete donation. Hum Fertil. 2009;12:73–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Van den Broeck U, Emery M, Wischmann T, Thorn P. Counseling in infertility: Individual, couple and group interventions. Patient Educ Couns. 2010;81:422–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Wischmann T, Scherg H, Strowitzki T, Verres R. Psychosocial characteristics of women and men attending infertility counselling. Hum Reprod. 2009;24:378–85.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Boivin J. Who is likely to need counseling? In: Boivin J, Kentenich H, editors. Guidelines for counseling in infertility. Oxford: University Press; 2002. p. 9–10.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Wischmann T. Psychogenic infertility – myths and facts. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2003;20:485–94.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Wischmann T. Sexual Disorders in Infertile Couples. J Sex Med. 2010;7:1868–76.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Greil AL, Slauson-Blevins K, McQuillan J. The experience of infertility: a review of recent literature. Sociol Health Illn. 2010;32:140–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Fatoye FO, Owolabi AT, Eegunranti BA, Fatoye GK. Unfulfilled desire for pregnancy: Gender and family differences in emotional burden among a Nigerian sample. J Obstet Gynecol. 2008;28:408–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Newton CR, Houle M. Gender differences in psychological response to infertility treatment. Can J Hum Sex. 1993;2:129–39.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Newton CR, Sherrard MA, Glavac I. The fertility problem inventory: Measuring perceived infertility-related stress. Fertil Steril. 1999;7:54–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Koydemir-Ozden S. Self-aspects, perceived social support, gender, and willingness to seek psychological help. Int J Ment Health. 2010;39:44–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Doss, Atkins, Christensen. Who’s dragging their feet? Husbands and wives seeking marital therapy. J Marital Fam Ther. 2003;29:165–77.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Jordan C, Revenson TA. Gender differences in coping with infertility: A meta-analysis. J Behav Med. 1999;22:341–58.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Peterson BD, Newton CR, Rosen KH, Skaggs GE. Gender differences in how men and women referred with in vitro fertilization cope with infertility stress. Hum Reprod. 2006;21:2443–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Peterson BD, Pirritano M, Christensen U, Boivin J, Block J, Schmidt L. The longitudinal impact of partner coping in couples following 5 years of unsuccessful fertility treatment. Hum Reprod. 2009;24:1656–64.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Hynie M, Hammer-Burns L. Cross-cultural issues in infertility counseling. In: Covington SN, Hammer-Burns L, editors. Infertility Counseling. A comprehensive handbook for clinicians. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2006. p. 61–82.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Burns LH. Sexual counseling and infertility. In: Covington SN, Burns LH, editors. Infertility counseling. A comprehensive handbook for clinicians. Cambridge: University Press; 2006. p. 212–35.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Petok W. The Psychology of Gender-Specific Infertility Diagnoses. In: Covington SH, Burns LH, editors. Infertility counseling. A comprehensive handbook for clinicans. Cambridge: University Press; 2006. p. 37–60.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Gianotten W, Schade A. Sexuality and fertility issues. In: de Haan N, Spelt M, Göbe R, editors. Reproductive Medicine: A textbook for paramedics. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 2006. p. 167–78.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Daniels K, Thorn P. Sharing information with donor insemination off- spring: A child conception versus a family-building approach. Hum Reprod. 2001;16:1792–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Blyth E. Secrets and lies. Barriers to the exchange of genetic origins information following donor assisted conception. Adopt Foster. 1999;23:49–58.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Golombok S, MacCallum F, Murray C, Lycett E, Jadva V. Surrogacy families: Parental functioning, parent-child relationships and children’s psychological development at age 2. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2006;47:213–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Kirkman M, Rosenthal D, Johnson L. Families working it out: Adolescents’ views on communicating about donor-assisted conception. Hum Reprod. 2007;22:2318–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Beeson DR, Jennings PK, Kramer W. Offspring searching for their sperm donors: how family type shapes the process. Human Reproduction 2011, E-Pub ahead of print.

  39. Dancet EAF, Nelen WLDM, Sermeus W, De Leeuw L, Kremer JAM, D’Hooghe TM. The patients’ perspective on fertility care: A systematic review. Hum Reprod Update. 2010;00:1–21.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Burns LH. Exit Counseling. Int Congr Ser. 2004;1266:264–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Psychology, Crean School of Health and Life Sciences, Chapman University, One University Drive, Orange, CA, 92866, USA

    Brennan Peterson & Cassandra Smith

  2. Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

    Jacky Boivin

  3. Leuven Institute for Fertility and Embryology, Leuven, Belgium

    Jan Norré

  4. Practice for Couple and Family Therapy, Mörfelden, Germany

    Petra Thorn

  5. Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany

    Tewes Wischmann

Authors
  1. Brennan Peterson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jacky Boivin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jan Norré
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Cassandra Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Petra Thorn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Tewes Wischmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brennan Peterson.

Additional information

Capsule

This paper highlights issues that infertility counselors must consider in their work with couples experiencing infertility, and outlines psychosocial interventions and treatments to support couples during the infertility experience.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Peterson, B., Boivin, J., Norré, J. et al. An introduction to infertility counseling: a guide for mental health and medical professionals. J Assist Reprod Genet 29, 243–248 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-011-9701-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-011-9701-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation