Assisted fertilization: the psychological aspects
La assisted fertilization it is an extremely path sensitive, which puts pressure on the couple from different points of view. The woman, already very tried by the physical involvement that characterizes the MAP, is faced with complex psychological and emotional problems.
But also themanwhile reacting differently, it is not exempt from difficulties. This is why it is important to overcome reticence and avoid closing. Especially in case of particular discomfort, it is advisable to rely on a specialist for a psychological support. Beatrice Corsale, psychologist and psychotherapist, delves into the subject, providing couples practical advice to undertake this path with the greatest possible serenity, in the book "Baby bump envy - A guide to recognizing one's emotions and tackling the search for a child", published by Erickson. We asked her what inconveniences couples encounter during a journey of medically assisted procreation (pma) and how to manage them.
In this article
- The loneliness of mothers and fathers
- Infertility Diagnosis and Psychological Support
- Pma and psychological aspects
- PMA, anxiety and depression
- Heterologous fertilization and psychological aspects
- Tips to manage moments of stress in Pma's paths
- The envy of the baby bump: how to manage it
The loneliness of mothers and fathers
In your book, you describe women and men who feel alone on this journey: can you help us understand the phenomenon better?
"The feeling of solitude and isolation warned by pairs is related to several factors. Meanwhile, the discovery ofinfertility in general it captures the couple at the off guard, because the ability to procreate tends to be taken for granted: it is commonly considered a natural event which happens without difficulty. There pregnancy usually it is planned, maybe it comes postponed for other needs, such as the work: so it happens that couples make evaluations with respect to the past and yes scold for this choice. In general, it happens that the clash with the reality of an infertility can be felt wrong. And this happens in particular to the woman, which - more than man - culturally clashes with the idea that the realization personal coincides with having a child.
The woman, then, struggles to find people who really understand her in this situation. About her. About herself mother however, she is already a mother: hardly the woman in this circumstance believes she can be compress fully even by such a close figure. It so happens that the prospect of being left without a child is viewed very much dramatic. And it is difficult to find someone else who can grasp it depth of this pain".
Read also: Assisted fertilization, avoiding the implantation of three or more embryosInfertility Diagnosis and Psychological Support
Is there psychological support for those who are diagnosed with infertility and decide to undertake a path of pma?
"In recent years there is definitely one more attention to appearance psychological. For some years it has been indicated in the essential levels of assistance the opportunity to offer psychological and psychotherapeutic services in support to infertility counseling. Then it is clear that on the National territory the situation is a lot variegate, even if the tendency is towards a growing sensitivity. It must also be said that sometimes the pairs are suspicious, because they perceive psychological support as one evaluation towards them: this obstacle must be overcome e trust confidently to a external helpor, very useful in such a delicate situation ".
Read also: Assisted fertilization in the mind and soulPma and psychological aspects
What are the main psychological aspects that emerge in a couple who decide to undertake this path?
"In couples who experience this situation, the so-called can be triggered emotional trap: man and woman react in different ways, Because the woman it is much more affected on the plane emotional and would like support from his partner from this point of view, while theman tends to react more practical, perhaps trying to find solutions, and despite being involved, he does not offer his partner the understanding and empathy she would expect.
The man can sometimes also confuse the diagnosis of infertility with a lack of manhood: could thus groped to compensate in other ways, perhaps working more, almost detaching from the report. All this risks establishing a misunderstanding which feeds itself, and the communication can suffer a lot ".
PMA, anxiety and depression
Could it happen that the woman or her partner suffer from anxiety or depression in a pma path?
"Yes, it was found that the conditions of anxiety e trough are frequent, especially in the woman. Scientific research is also trying to deepen the relationship between these psychological states and the success of conception. It has been observed that women who are successful in treatment are often the ones who had lower scores of anxiety and depression detected before undergoing MAP. There is still no clear causal link, but the psychological attitude is likely to affect".
Heterologous fertilization and psychological aspects
Does heterologous fertilization, involving the involvement of people outside the couple, affect different psychological aspects or are more difficult to manage?
"Yes I'm here further complexities linked to the donation of a gamete, or both. Ethical and, above all, issues related to fear than the unborn child you look like or not to the parent who received the gamete as a gift, although there is attention to ensuring that the external characteristics of the phenotype are similar. Fear of fear may also arise fail ad I will love this child, and the concern that his mere existence may forever remember that he did not come into the world with a natural conception but with the involvement of others. Then there are other aspects related to the decision of to communicate or not the mode of conception al son - when the time comes - and ai kin. Additionally, one may occur unbalanced situation in the couple because, as often happens, only one receives the gamete, perceiving one on himself higher pressure, or feeling almost excluding from the process, even 'betrayed'. Each couple must make their own processing path, and it is good that you rely on one specialist that helps both components to be aware".
Read also: Assisted fertilization, what the Del Paesena law providesTips to manage moments of stress in Pma's paths
In the second part of your book you will find operational cards and schemes that will help the couple to overcome negative thoughts or manage moments of stress: could you give some advice to readers who are facing this path?
"Each chapter provides some practical indications linked to specific themes characteristic of the infertility condition. But a advice always valid, transversal to the whole process, is to try to have a small or large side project to carry on, as individuals or better still as a couple. A couple who faces this path tends to feel very powerless, in the hands of third parties who may or may not help them achieve the desire for parenthood. So it is important to develop another path on which instead the couple has full autonomy. a hobby, a passion, A 'artistic activity: something from cultivate day by day and that it helps to leave aside i negative thoughts, shifting the focus to something else. Something about constructive e rewarding that builds a small piece of road in one direction however interesting, parallel to the project of the son, in which to find also theesteem which unfortunately is often compromised by these circumstances ".
The envy of the baby bump: how to manage it
'L'envy of the baby bump it is an emotion very common in couples who are unable to have children. For some women, motherhood is a rocked project for a long time, for others it may be more recent, but in any case it can become a lot Central: seeing someone else realizing it can be arousing envy even in people who normally they are not envious. Within the couple, a sort of is also born secret: see you missing into something, defectivein embarrassment, and you try shame in talking about it to others. The women they may get into trouble with friends in pregnancy o new parents, and often the common attitude is that of avoid contact. However, the literature on the subject indicates that this attitude actually tends to feed anxiety and discomfort. Partly because, whatever it is, avoid a problem does that demonize it. And then why the woman loses so the opportunity to encounter situations of comprehension e support: talking to new parents or women in pregnancy could maybe discover that someone else hasn't had an easy conception, or else find a emotional support which he did not believe he could receive. Also avoiding so many situations sociality deprives you of all those little pleasures of daily life related tomeeting, to the exchange, to interpersonal relationships, which are a fundamental element for the psychological well-being".
The interviewee
Beatrice Corsale, psychologist and psychotherapist, specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy and member of EABCT (European Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies). You have carried out research at the Institute of Neurophysiology of the CNR in Pisa. She alternates clinical activity with teaching in the AIAMC Schools of Psychotherapy (Association of Behavioral Analysis and Modification and Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy). She is the author of articles and scientific contributions, with the short story "The tale of failure" she is one of the winners of the National Psychology Literary Competition, 2022 edition.
TAG:
- assisted fertilization
- pma psychology
- pma advice
