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Cited by 147Reproductive Health and TechnologiesMaternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and PostpartumAssisted Reproductive Technology and Twin Pregnancy

Psychological problems related to infertility

Open access
Sharma, Aanchal, Shrivastava, Deepti·2022·Cureus
DOI 10.7759/cureus.30320PMC PMC9661871
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Abstract

Infertility is a problem of great significance among millions of couples. In our society, to have a child means living a fulfilled life. Thus, couples who cannot do so feel barren and incomplete. Therefore, infertility is more than just a medical problem. It affects all aspects of life, the most important being mental health. For many years, a person's mental health has been overlooked, but in the past few years, it has gained importance that mental health is as significant as physical health, which has also been stated in the WHO definition of health. This article discusses the mental toll that infertility takes on a person's life. A person may experience a myriad of psychological problems, of which stress for extended periods is one. Furthermore, it may cause feelings of guilt, emptiness, anxiety, and depression. The article mainly focuses on the need for counseling for couples dealing with infertility and under treatment because of the long waiting periods accompanying it. Although both men and women can contribute to infertility in India, women are exclusively held responsible, leading to more significant stress while undergoing treatment. The paper also provides an overview of infertility, the factors responsible, and the treatments currently available. Various studies have shown that delivering psychological support through psychiatric clinical specialists may accentuate the results of IVF (In-vitro fertilization) and ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology). This review sheds light on the effects of infertility on quality of life and how it can be prevented or reduced through psychotherapy.

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Authors
Sharma, A., & Shrivastava, D.
Affiliations
Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research (IN)
Corresponding author
Sharma, Aanchal
Venue
Cureus
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2022-10-15
Volume
14
Issue
10
Pages
e30320-e30320
ISSN
2168-8184 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.7759/cureus.30320
PMC
PMC9661871
OpenAlex
W4306292478
Cited by
147
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 26 · 2025: 68 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 13
FWCI
4.87
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Cureus (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Reproductive Health and Technologies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Assisted Reproductive Technology and Twin Pregnancy
Keywords
infertility, mental illness, mental health, stress, guilt, anxiety, depression, infertility counseling, couple counseling, waiting period, quality of life, psychotherapy, in vitro fertilization, assisted reproduction

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