Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-25wd4 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T14:20:48.175Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Marital relationships in couples seeking donor insemination

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Michael Humphrey  and
Heather Humphrey
Michael Humphrey
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, St George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London
Heather Humphrey
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, St George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Findings are reported on 100 couples who had requested donor insemination as a means of circumventing male infertility. Twelve couples dropped out, but the remainder were graded for personal acceptability. Forty-six couples were recommended with only minor reservations if any, 40 were seen as unsatisfactory in varying degree, and two were rejected owing to gross marital and sexual problems. In one couple, early marital breakdown after childbirth occurred.

A strong sense of mutual commitment may be the norm in such couples but exchange of affection between partners, as measured by the Ryle marital patterns test, was less vivid than in an earlier study of childless couples waiting to adopt. The infertile husband may be in particular need of emotional support from his wife, and a careful appraisal of the marriage seems warranted before treatment.

Type
Review
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 19 , Issue 2 , April 1987 , pp. 209 - 219
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

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

Banks, A. L. (1968) Aspects of adoption and artificial insemination. In: Progress in Infertility. Edited by Behrman, S. J. & Kistner, R. W.Little, Brown, Boston.Google Scholar
Berger, D. M. (1980). Couples' reactions to male infertility and donor insemination. Am. J. Psychiat. 137, 1047.Google ScholarPubMed
Birtchnell, J. (1985) The relationship between scores on Ryle's Marital Patterns Test and independent ratings of marital quality. Br. J. Psychiat. 146, 638.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eysenck, H. J. & Eysenck, S. B. G. (1975) The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Hodder & Stoughton, London.Google Scholar
Houghton, D. & Houghton, P. (1984) Coping with Childlessness, p. 31. Allen & Unwin, London.Google Scholar
Humphrey, M. (1975) The effect of children upon the marriage relationship. Br. J. med. Psychol. 48, 273.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Humphrey, M. (1977) Sex differences in attitude to parenthood. Hum. Relations, 30, 737.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Humphrey, M. & Humphrey, H. (1986) A fresh look at genealogical bewilderment. Br. J. med. Psychol. 59, 133.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Humphrey, M. & Kirkwood, R. (1982) Marital relationships among adopters. Adoption and Fostering, 6, 44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jackson, M. (1976) In: Artificial Insemination. Edited by Brudenell, M. et al. Proceedings of the Fourth Study Group of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London.Google Scholar
Joyce, D. N. (1984) The implications of greater openness concerning AID. In: AID and After. British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering, London.Google Scholar
Keep, P. A. van & Schmidt-Elmendorff, H. (1975) Involuntary childlessness. J. biosoc. Sci. 7, 37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Locke, H. J. & Wallace, K. M. (1959) Short marital-adjustment and prediction tests: their reliability and validity. Marr. & Fam. Living, 21, 251.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lupri, E. & Frideres, J. (1981) The quality of marriage and the passage of time: marital satisfaction over the family life cycle. Can. J. Sociol. 6, 283.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rollins, B. C. & Cannon, K. L. (1974) Marital satisfaction over the family life cycle: a re-evaluation. J. Marr. & Fam. 36, 271.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rollins, B. C. & Feldman, H. (1970) Marital satisfaction over the family life cycle. J. Marr. & Fam. 32, 20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosenberg, M. (1965) Society and the Adolescent Self Image. Princeton University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (1976) Artificial Insemination. Edited by Brudenell, M., McLaren, A., Short, R. & Symonds, M.Proceedings of the Fourth Study Group, RCOG, London.Google Scholar
Ryle, A. (1966) A marital patterns test for use in psychiatric research. Br. J. Psychiat. 112, 285.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scott-Heyes, G. (1982) Analysis and revision of Ryle's Marital Patterns Test. Br. J. med. Psychol. 55, 67.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Snowden, R. & Mitchell, G. D. (1981) The Artificial Family: a Consideration of Artificial Insemination by Donor. Allen & Unwin, London.Google Scholar
Snowden, R., Mitchell, G. D. & Snowden, E. (1983) Artificial Reproduction: a Social Investigation. Allen & Unwin, London.Google Scholar
Snowden, R. & Snowden, E. (1984) The Gift of a Child. Allen & Unwin, London.Google Scholar
Warner, M. P. (1974) Artificial insemination. N.Y. State J. Med. 64, 2358.Google Scholar
Warnock Committee (1984) Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Human Fertilisation and Embryology. HM Stationery Office, London.Google Scholar