Infertile couples who undergo treatment: experiences of the consequences on sexuality
About 10-15 % of adults have the experience of not getting pregnant, when they have a wish to have a child. For some, this life situation is resolved spontaneously. Some undergo investigation, followed by varying treatments, resulting in a child, some adopt, and for others this situation is permanent, and without a solution. When this is the case, existential questions often arise.
Earlier studies show that couples who become parent after IVF-treatment are just as content, or more, with their relationships and sexuality compared to parent who conceived spontaneously. Little is known about the couples who continue their relation without a child. Clinical experiences are that many women and men struggle with questions concerning the meaning of sexuality.
In a pilot study, located at the Reproduktionsmedicin Sahlgrenska Universitetssjukhuset Goteborg, these questions were studied. Women and men, patients in this clinic, answered a questionnaire about their experiences how infertility and treatment affected sexuality. The questionnaire also included open questions about experiences.
Many women and men experienced that infertility and treatment influenced their sexuality in a negative way. However, an experience existed at a higher degree of closeness and strength in the relation; however a closeness not always including sexuality.
In work with individuals whose lives in some way are affected by infertility, the sexual dimension needs to be further investigated. Clinicians working with infertility ought to not only focus on pregnancy. Another dimension is to work with the sexual dimension, whether or not there will be a child.
