https://www.jri.ir/ "Journal of Reproduction & Infertility" is owned, published, and copyrighted by ©2009 Avicenna Research Institute. No parts of this journal may be reproduced in any form or by any means unless properly referenced or sent a notification letter through www.jri.ir en Psychological investigation of the novel “A stone on a grave (Jalal Al-e-Ahmad, 1980)” <p>Jalal Al-e-Ahmad, a hard working contemporary novelist, in one of his writings, has made an autobiography about a problem, which had preoccupied his minds and life for many years. This was his infertility. In this book, the author probes the problem from the beginning of its appearing; his trials for solving it, eventual excitedly reactions of it, and compatibility with being &ldquo;childlessness&rdquo;. Memories have been designed as form of a novel. In research work, there is always, this possibility that, a quantitative &ldquo;approach&rdquo; cause to deprive us from some &ldquo;qualitative&rdquo;. May be psychological investigation of some novels specially those, which deal with &ldquo;problem&rdquo; of author, could fill this emptiness. This matter is the goal of this article for psychological investigation of infertility.</p> https://www.jri.ir/article/61 Body image in fertile and infertile women <p>Various studies show that infertility treatment in addition to physical involvement, cause undesirable psychological reactions. One of these cases is disorder and change in mental body image. This research is a case control study with aim of determination of mental image of fertile and infertile women referring to health and infertility treatment centers selected in Tehran city in year of 2000. Observed persons were divided as group of women with fertility problems (test group) and group of fertile women (control group). In this research, subjects as two groups of fertile and infertile were chosen from 5 Health centers namely: Panzdah Khordad, Hospitals of Shariati, Mirza Koochak Khan, Day and Saram Medical Center according to purposeful sampling. There were 100 persons in each group. Procedure of data gathering was with help of query form questionnaire of mental image of body, which was prepared with general construct procedure. This has been called mental structures list in Iran. Qualified fertile and infertile women were chosen from mentioned centers. A primary conversation was done with them regarding goals and ways of research. After their agreement, questionnaires were given to them. Then, considering score of each question, answers of fertile and infertile women were assessed and results were compared with help of statistical analysis methods. Information showed that studied mental image of fertile and infertile women were different from each other. In various elements of mental image (active body in isolation, real body, body in way which people see it, body in way which husband sees and knows it and body the way which family of husband see and know it), two groups had meaningful statistical differences (P&lt;0.05). This means infertile women showed some degrees of mental image disorder. Self or body mental image can cause anxiety and depression. In this regard methods and behavioral techniques can control theses signs up great degrees.</p> https://www.jri.ir/article/62 Problem solving strategies and marital adjustment in infertile and fertile couples <p>Various studies show that most of couples with fertility problems are distressed deeply. Infertility has broad psychological effects such as feeling distress, conflict, despair and &hellip; on individuals. Objective of this study is to examine the problem solving strategies and martial adjustment in infertile couples and to compare with fertile couples. 71 infertile couples referring for treatment, to an infertility treatment center in Tehran and Isfahan and 28 normal fertile couples, referring for check up of their first pregnancy, to a treatment center in Isfahan, participated in this study. None of the participants had a child. Each of the partners answered separately the Marital Adjustment Test (MAT) and the Problem Solving Strategies Inventory and a questionnaire containing some demographic information. The analysis of the result showed that there were no difference between fertile and infertile couples in problem solving strategies and marital adjustment. The comparison between the couples indicated that the infertile woman showed a lower internal control toward their ability in solving problems. Categorizing couples into two adjusted and distressed groups regarding the MAT scores, indicated that the problem solving strategies are more negative in distressed couples. Examining correlation of different variables indicated that in infertile couples, problem-solving strategies of the individual and his/her spouse significantly predicts the couple&rsquo;s level of adjustment. Results show that marital adjustment of fertile and infertile couples have no significant differences. Conflict and gloom found, is probably due to various approaches which different groups take toward infertility. In another word, not all the infertile persons face the infertility similarly.</p> https://www.jri.ir/article/63 Emotional and psychological problems of infertility and strategies to overcome them <p>Infertility affects women and men in reproductive ages and causes many major psychological and emotional problems. For this reason, in International Conference of Population and Development (ICPD) which was held in Cairo in 1994, infertility has been identified as a factor that has destructive effects on reproductive health. The World Health Organization (WHO) also has identified infertility as a reproductive health disturbance. The aim of this study, is evaluation of emotional and psychological problems of infertility and strategies to overcome it. In this study, some aspects of the individual or couple&rsquo;s functioning have been considered which can be affected by infertility including: sexuality, self-esteem, communication, withdrawal and isolation, facing disturbing treatment process, obsession over becoming pregnant, depression, powerless, despair, exhaustion, frustration, confusion, overwhelming, anger and feeling broken. On the other hand we know psychological and emotional problems rarely can cause infertility, though these problems can be the serious effects of infertility. So attending emotional needs of the infertile couple is an integral part of infertility treatment because couple&rsquo;s relationship can be affected especially when each partner needs the support and understanding of the other. Stress, frustration and embarrassment of infertility can be painful and destructive for emotional well being of the individual partners as well as for the couple&rsquo;s relationship. Through analyzing the motivation of having child, can reach to some strategies of overcoming emotional and psychological problems related to infertility. Infertility as any other aspect of life is simply an event which should not be with suffering, but the majority of persons that suffer from it, find identify with it. Many basic concepts of the personal identity and the way of defining ourselves are closely associated with the capacity of having child. Psychologically, having child is a &ldquo;ritual crossing to adulthood life&rdquo;; it is &ldquo;an essential part of the gender identity&rdquo;, &ldquo; the consolidation of the couple&rdquo;, &ldquo;the main objective of marriage&rdquo; and &ldquo;the constitution of a family&rdquo;. The logical conclusion that we derive from this association is I am because of my reproductive capacity and every thing it implies. If we could break this association and separate the identification between what we are and our reproductive capacity, then we see infertility with perspective, separate from what we are and see it only as an event, independent of our own value as person and in this way free ourselves from the suffering that association generates.</p> https://www.jri.ir/article/64 Psychological characteristics of infertile couples referring to Isfahan Fertility and Infertility Center (IFIC) <p>One of stresses that affect psychological structure and interpersonal relations is infertility. Many researches show that infertility and actually viewing it, causes emotional disturbances among couples. Researchers have reported the outburst of impulsive behavior, anger, depression, helplessness, self-insufficiency, ineffectiveness and feeling worthless, anxiety especially associated with long term treatments and sometimes without success, negative believes toward oneself and&hellip;. Most of these reports indicate the higher frequency of these disorders among infertile woman compare with infertile men. This study has been done with the aim of comparing psychiatric disorders and self-concept of infertile and normal fertile couples and comparing psychiatric disorders and self-concept of woman and men in each group. Study is descriptive analytical type, which there were 100 persons of women and men of 25-45 years old in each group. It was done in Isfahan City. Necessary information were gathered with help of SCL90 questionnaire which distinguishes mental disorders in 9 categories and Beck&rsquo;s self-concept questionnaire which was administered in form of individual interview. The results of comparison between scores of infertile and fertile groups with SCL90 different scales were significant differences in the scale of somatic, mental-behavioral obsessive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobia, paranoid and psychotic thoughts with P&lt;0/05 that reveals more psychiatric disorders among infertile couples than normal ones. Also in this comparison between scores of infertile women and men in all categories of SCL90, it showed significant difference except hostility, paranoid and psychotic thoughts with P&lt;0/05 which this reveals women are more affected than men. Considering other findings, literatures and findings of this research, caring about psychological aspects of chronic diseases such as heart disease, endocrine glands and kidney diseases, cancer and also simulating physical treatment with mental rehabilitation and consultation services with medical services to facilitate the treatment process and enhancement of emotional affective condition of patients and their families seem to be vital.</p> https://www.jri.ir/article/65 Psychosexual and depression disorders in infertile female referring to Mashhad Infertility Treatment Center <p>Infertility is a common problem which about 15-20% of couples in their fertility life suffer form it. Though the role of psychological problems as etiologic factors for infertility is in doubt but psychogenic variables and life-style absolutely play important role in infertility, on the other hand infertility itself can cause different psychological reactions like depression in individual. Therefore researchers decided to evaluate the prevalence of psychosexual disorders and the rate of depression in fertile couples and determine its correlation with infertility. Research was across sectional study and was done during one month. 30 infertile women were selected randomized among infertile couples who were admitted in Mashhad Infertility Treatment Center (Montaserieh Hospital). These persons filled Global Sexual Functioning scale (GSF) and Hamiltion&rsquo;s rating scale for depression and answered a questionnaire which included information such as: age, education, job, duration of marriage and infertility treatment. According to Hamilton scale, 7 persons (%23/3) had mild depression, 16 persons (%53/3) had moderate depression, 6 persons (%20) were deeply depressed and only one person had normal mood. On the other hand sexual dysfunction were more common in couples with higher age difference. There was no correlation between age mean difference of the couples and sever and moderat depression (t=1.7, r=-0.306), but it was correlated with duration of infertility treatment (t=-2.59, r=-0.44, P&lt;0.05), this shows the importance of more psychological attention at early stages of infertility diagnosis. There is no correlation between depression and sexual dysfunction (r=0.028) which shows sexual dysfunction in infertile couples are independent from depression.</p> https://www.jri.ir/article/66 Psychological aspects of coping and adjustment of infertility and role of psychologist <p>An extensive review of infertility literature investigation has shown that, psychological factors have little role in causing infertility, but it has not been rejected that stress has effect on spermatogenesis and ovulation. Though psychological factors are not major factors in infertility, but there has been emphasis that infertility can cause negative psychological effects on psychological health of person. The goal of this study is determination of the role of major factors in coping and adjustment toward infertility and also determination of the role of psychologist. In this study, psychological and behavioral factors were evaluated and way of control, coping strategies toward it and social supports has been pointed out. In this study it is being shown that, change in thought will bring about the change in action. In this regard, psychologist by having treatment knowledge leads the thoughts of infertile person toward accepting the reality of infertility and when medical sciences are not able to change the present fertility condition, psychologist will help them to accept the reality of their being infertile and cope with it. Also, extensive social support, has important role in decreasing of the stress resulted from infertility.</p> https://www.jri.ir/article/67 The existing situation and challenges facing acceptance and care of children in substitute families <p>In different cultures across the world, families without or wishing to have more children proceed to adopt or foster them from other families or from children who have no known families. Adoption and foster care have been considered as effective means of confronting negative effects of infertility. Adoption and foster care have positive roles in giving the children the right guidance and help the progress of de-institutionalization and making the proper growth condition for children in family. Major kinds of child training in most countries and in Iran are adoption and foster care. After revolution, responsibilities related to adoption have been given to social welfare organization and by prohibition of adoption by foreign nationals, Iranian families had a better chance for child adoption. Answering to the needs of applicant families and children during different stages of decision-making, adoption and child train, need scientific programming, development of legal and executive structures. More familiarity with characteristics and existing challenges of child adoption, prepare programming for change and improvement of the present situation. Reviewing the present situation and using the local and international experience of government monitor and control, improving standards of services, close correlation between infertility treatment centers and child adoption centers and developing consultation services to families before and after adoption are some steps which seem necessary. Specialization in consultation delivery and caring about basic belief are other necessary aspects in proper programming.</p> https://www.jri.ir/article/68 Effect of some affective and demographic variables on life satisfaction of infertile women <p>Various studies show that infertility is related to affective problems such as depression, despair, psychological stress, anxiety and also dissatisfaction from marital life. The purpose of this research was investigation of effect of some affective and demographic variables on life satisfaction of infertile women. Affective factors were such as having husband&rsquo;s support, others blame, report of feeling psychological stress, anxiety, despair, depression and isolation and demographic factors were age, educational background, social status of couple and the kind of family. Sample group was composed of 77 women (mean age 26) who had referred for infertility treatment to one of treatment centers in Shiraz. Individual information questionnaire, which was prepared by researchers ad its integrity was being checked by specialists, was used to gather demographic information and other affective factors. For evaluation of life satisfaction &ldquo;Temporal Satisfaction With Life Scale&rdquo; (TSWLS) was used. This scale evaluates the satisfaction of people in 3 stages of past, present and future life. Its integrity has been evaluated in this study. Regression analysis of multiple variable was used for information and despair caused past, present and future lie dissatisfaction of infertile women but husband&rsquo;s support and also his social status increase the life satisfaction of these women and also all other stages of life. Living in nuclear family results in increase of present and future life satisfaction of infertile women. As for total conclusion, data shows that effect of affection and demographic variables on the life satisfaction of infertile women is not equal.</p> https://www.jri.ir/article/69