The Effect of Collaborative Infertility Counseling on Marital Satisfaction in Infertile Women Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background Infertility is a global problem which affects interpersonal and social relationships and threatens marital life of infertile couples. Females with infertility experiences less marital satisfaction than infertile males. Objectives The present study aimed to examine the effect of collaborative infertility counseling on marital satisfaction in females with infertility, undergoing in-vitro fertilization in Mashhad, Iran. Methods In this clinical trial, 60 females with primary infertility were selected from Montaserieh infertility research center and randomly allocated into the intervention (n = 29) and control (n = 31) groups. The intervention group received individual counseling, based on the collaborative reproductive healthcare model with collaboration of a midwife, a gynecologist and a clinical psychologist in five sessions during a two-month period. The control group received routine care. Marital satisfaction was evaluated at the beginning of the study and at the day of embryo transfer, using the Hudson index of marital satisfaction. Data were analyzed using statistical tests including independent and paired-samples T-tests. Results The baseline mean marital satisfaction score of the intervention group was 24.78 ± 13.20 and changed to 22.86 ± 15.01 after the intervention; therefore, the mean difference between the groups was significant (P = 0.027). Conclusions Collaborative infertility counseling increased marital satisfaction in females undergoing in vitro fertilization. Therefore, this method can be used to improve the marital satisfaction of females with infertility.