Psychosocial characteristics of women in the process of assisted reproduction

Neplodnost je značajan javnozdravstveni problem kompleksne etiologije, definiran kao nemogućnost začeća nakon godinu dana spolnih odnosa bez korištenja metoda kontracepcije. Metode medicinski potpomognute oplodnje kliničke su i laboratorijske tehnike koje se primjenjuju u liječenju većine uzroka neplodnosti kada su sve ostale metode u liječenju uzroka neplodnosti jednog ili oba partnera dokazano neuspješne. Metode potpomognute oplodnje parovima sa smanjenom plodnošću pomažu u ostvarenju začeća, a najčešća je in vitro fertilizacija. S obzirom na nezanemarivu invazivnost i psihofizičku zahtjevnost postupka, brojna istraživanja ukazuju na negativne psihološke reakcije na dijagnozu i liječenje neplodnosti – visoku razinu stresa, smanjenu kvalitetu života, probleme u partnerskim odnosima, seksualnu disfunkciju i simptome anksioznosti i depresivnosti. Premda je broj istraživanja ishoda metoda potpomognute oplodnje s obzirom na psihosocijalne osobitosti ograničen, brojna su se istraživanja usmjerila na deskriptivne karakteristike žena u tom procesu – osobine ličnosti, simptomi psihopatologije, religioznost i sociodemografske karakteristike. Provedeno istraživanje temeljeno je na pretpostavci da će ishod metoda potpomognute oplodnje biti povezan s nekim osobinama ličnosti, razinom psihopatoloških teškoća, aleksitimijom i religioznošću. Sudionice istraživanja bile su pacijentice s dijagnozom neplodnosti u procesu potpomognute oplodnje u Klinici za ženske bolesti i porode Kliničkog bolničkog centra Zagreb. Povezanost s osobinama ličnosti, aleksitimijom i religioznošću nije dokazana. Pronađena je značajna negativna povezanost s razinom depresivnosti, anksioznosti i rizičnih ponašanja. Kvalitativnom analizom procjena sudionica o potrebi psihološke potpore u procesu potpomognute oplodnje utvrđeno je da većina sudionica smatra da je psihološka potpora potrebna, te da su i osobno u određenom periodu liječenja prepoznale potrebu za stručnom pomoći, savjetovanjem ili psihoterapijom. Psihosocijalne intervencije dokazano su povezane sa smanjenjem razine stresa i depresivnosti povezanih s neplodnošću, stoga rezultati i ovoga istraživanja ukazuju na opravdanost i potrebu omogućavanja psihosocijalnih intervencija tijekom procesa potpomognute oplodnje.Infertility is an important public health problem of complex etiology, defined as a failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Methods of medically assisted reproduction are clinical and laboratory techniques used in the treatment of most infertility causes, when all other methods in the treatment of the infertility of one or both partners have been proven to fail. The method of assisted reproduction reduces fertility by helping couples to conceive, and the most common one is in vitro fertilization. Considering the negligible invasiveness and psychophysical complexity of the procedure, numerous studies indicate negative psychological reactions to the diagnosis and treatment of infertility – high stress, reduced quality of life, problems in relationships, sexual dysfunction and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Although a number of studies which link the outcome of the method of assisted reproduction with psychosocial traits, many studies have focused on the descriptive characteristics of women in the process – personality traits, symptoms of psychopathology, religiosity, and sociodemographic characteristics. Present study was based on the assumptions that the outcome of method of assisted reproduction will correlate with some personality traits, level of psychopathological difficulties, alexithymia and religiosity. Participants in the study are patients diagnosed with infertility in the process of assisted reproduction at the Clinic for Women’s Disease, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Human Reproduction and Gynecologic Endocrinology, Clinical Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia. Correlation with personality traits, alexithymia and religiosity has not been proven. A significant negative correlation was found with levels of depression, anxiety, and risk behaviors. Qualitative analysis of the assessment of the participant on the need for psychological support in the process of assisted reproduction revealed that the majority of participants consider psychological support as important and necessary. Psychosocial interventions have proven to be associated with infertility by reducing stress and depression, so the results of the present study indicate the need for psychosocial interventions during the assisted reproduction process