Investigating the Relationship between the Attitude Towards Infertility and Stress Coping Strategies among Couples undergoing Assisted Reproduction Treatment

Abstract

Introduction: Infertility and its treatment methods among couples have psychological and social consequences. To encounter these consequences, coping strategies are commonly used, which are influenced by various factors, such as the attitude of couples toward infertility.

Objective: This study aims to determine the relationship between attitudes toward infertility and stress-coping strategies among couples undergoing Assisted Reproduction Treatment, referring to the infertility clinic of Al-Zahra Educational Center.

Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study performed on 153 couples referred to Al-Zahra Infertility Clinic in Rasht. Three instruments (demographic questionnaire, attitude, and Lazarus coping strategies questionnaire) were used with regard to the inclusion restrictions.

Results: Between the two variables of individual and social information factors and the attitude of couples toward infertility, only the duration of infertility factor revealed a significant relationship (p <0.05); and in explaining the relationship between individual and social variables and coping strategies, the lack of insurance in both genders with an emotion-oriented strategy, the female infertility factor in women with the confrontational adjustment domain, and treatment in a discontinuous way in both genders have a significant relationship with the problem-oriented domain (p <0.05). Accountability and problem-solving strategies in women and an escapeavoidance strategy in infertile men have been identified as the most important predictors of attitude toward infertility.

Conclusion: There is a relationship between attitudes toward infertility and coping strategies. However, the impact of community culture on the type of coping strategies used in this study has led to different results in some cases from other studies.

Keywords: Attitude; assisted-fertility treatment.; infertility; psychological adjustment; stress; stress coping strategies.