Couples Adjustment to Failed Assisted Reproductive Technology after Counseling

Abstract

This is an intervention study aimed to studying the effect of counselling on couples adjustment to failed assisted reproductive technology .It was conducted at IVF centre of Ain Shams Maternity University Hospital after obtaining faculty ethical committee approval. The sample was consisted of (110 couple: failed cases 59 and success cases 51). Tools used for data collection consisted of Couples' Structured Interviewing Questionnaire, Coping Strategy Stress Scale, Ways of Coping (WOC) Questionnaire, follow up card and PLISSIT Model for counselling program. Results revealed that couples included in the study ranged between 20-45 years, with a mean age of 30.36± 3.112 years for wives and 35.64±3.852 years for husbands. 67.3% of female were the cause of infertility, and 94.5% of couples had a previous trials of ART. Women have more (personal, social and marital) stressful experiences than men. While they both frequently use a combination of strategies to cope, study showed different coping behaviours to deal with their infertility (meaning-based coping & passive avoidance coping strategy), Husbands scores were significantly lower than before counselling with regard to passive avoidance strategy with t= 2.29, and wives scores were significantly higher than before with regard to meaning-based strategy with t= 4.28. The study concluded that counselling effective on couples' adjustment to failed assisted reproductive technology. The study recommended establishment of educational programs to enlighten infertile couples about treatment options and answer their questions and different coping strategies with failed assisted reproductive technology trials.