Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-84b7d79bbc-2l2gl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-31T04:02:09.345Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 5 - Fertility Counseling with Groups

from II - Therapeutic Approaches

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 November 2022

Sharon N. Covington
Affiliation:
Shady Grove Fertility, Rockville, MD
Get access

Summary

This chapter addresses the role, and importance, of individual counseling and psychotherapy in providing psychological assistance and support to patients who are struggling with infertility and loss. Depression and anxiety are the two most frequent emotional sequelae of the infertility experience.The chapter therefore speaks not only to what factors contribute to making fertility counselors effective in their work, but also addresses specific treatment approaches that can yield positive outcomes in working with this unique population. These approaches include psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive–behavioral therapy (including dialectical behavior therapy and trauma-focused therapy), and supportive counseling. A brief history and description of each approach is presented in addition to a discussion of ways in which these psychotherapeutic treatments can be effective in working with fertility patients. Each of these approaches can be longer term or time-limited, often depending on the needs and preferences of the patient.The chapter also emphasizes the importance of appropriate professional mental health training as well as an understanding of the unique medical treatments that are an inherent part of the personal experiences of fertility patients. A strong therapeutic alliance is critical to effective individual treatment, and each psychotherapy approach provides strategies for assisting individuals who are emotionally challenged by infertility.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Miall, CE. The stigma of involuntary childlessness. Soc Probl 1986;33:268282.Google Scholar
Covington, SN. Group approaches to infertility counseling. In: Covington, SN, Burns, LH, Eds. Infertility Counseling: A Comprehensive Handbook for Clinicians, 2nd edn. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006: 156168.Google Scholar
Abarbanel, AR, Bach, G. Group psychotherapy for the infertile couple. Int J Fertil 1959;4:151155.Google Scholar
Menning, BE. The emotional needs of infertile couples. Fertil Steril 1980;34:313319.Google ScholarPubMed
Domar, AD, Seibel, MM, Benson, H. The Mind/Body Program for Infertility: a new behavioral treatment approach for women with infertility. Fertil Steril 1990;53:246249.Google Scholar
Chan, CHY, Ng, EHY, Chan, CLW, et al. Effectiveness of psychosocial group intervention for reducing anxiety in women undergoing in vitro fertilization: a randomized controlled study. Fertil Steril 2006;85:339346.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Domar, AD, Rooney, K, Hacker, MR, et al. Burden of care is the primary reason why insured women terminate in vitro fertilization treatment. Fertil Steril 2018;109:11211126.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goffman, E. Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentiss Hall, 1963.Google Scholar
Pachankis, JE. The psychological implications of concealing a stigma: a cognitive-affective-behavioral model. Psychol Bull 2007;133:328345.Google Scholar
Martins, MV, Peterson, BD, Costa, P, et al. Interactive effects of social support and disclosure on fertility-related stress. J Soc Pers Relat 2012;30:371388.Google Scholar
Slade, P, O’Neill, CO, Simpson, AJ, et al. The relationship between perceived stigma, disclosure patterns, support and distress in new attendees at an infertility clinic. Hum Reprod 2007;22:23092317.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Donkor, ES, Sandall, J. The impact of perceived stigma and mediating social factors on infertility-related stress among women seeking infertility treatment in Southern Ghana. Soc Sci Med 2007;65:16831694.Google Scholar
Zhang, F, Lv, Y, Wang, Y, et al. The social stigma of infertile women in Zhejiang Province, China: a questionnaire-based study. BMC Women’s Health 2021;21:17.Google Scholar
Boivin, J. A review of psychosocial interventions in infertility. Soc Sci Med 2003;57:23252341.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Domar, AD, Clapp, D, Slawsby, E, et al. The impact of group psychological interventions on distress in infertile women. Health Psychol 2000;19:568575.Google Scholar
Domar, AD, Clapp, D, Slawsby, EA, et al. Impact of group psychological interventions on pregnancy rates in infertile women. Fertil Steril 2000;73:805811.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Haemmerli, K, Znoj, H, Burri, S, et al. Psychological interventions for infertile patients: a review of existing research and a new comprehensive approach. Couns Psychother Res 2008;8:246252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thorn, P, Daniels, KR. A group-work approach in family building by donor insemination: empowering the marginalized. Hum Fertil 2003;6:4650.Google Scholar
Daniels, K, Thorn, P, Westerbrooke, R. Confidence in the use of donor insemination: an evaluation of the impact of participating in a group preparation programme. Hum Fertil 2007;10:1320.Google Scholar
Yalom, ID, Leszcz, M. The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, 6th edn. New York, NY: Basic Books, 2020.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×