Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2011 Oct;54(10):611-617. 10.5468/KJOG.2011.54.10.611.

Current status of infertility counseling in Korea

• Kim RH
• Lee WM
• Kim YJ
• Sung YM
• Hoh JK
• Han DW
• Choi YM
• Hwang JH

• KMID: 1836747
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5468/KJOG.2011.54.10.611

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The recent fertility decline deepened concern about the emotional side of infertility problems as well as social, ethical, legal and psychological aspect and increased awareness of the importance of consultation. In this study, we evaluated the current condition of infertility counseling for couples participated in the project supporting infertile couples by Ministry of Health and Welfare in Korea.
METHODS
Postal survey was administered to infertility couples who received medical cost support in 2006 and 2008. We investigated 11 different of infertility counseling through the postal survey.
RESULTS
The most common number was two or three sessions of counseling before infertility treatment (409 cases in 2006, 534 cases in 2008, respectively). The most common counselor to infertile couples was a physician, (1,009 cases in 2006, 879 cases in 2008, respectively). The most common form of counseling was verbal counseling in the office of the physician to the patient or couple alone and psychological testing was not performed in 1,133 cases among 1,182 cases in 2006 and 1,105 among 1,227 in 2008 respectively. One of the most stressful events during treatment was results announcement and the most helpful person was the spouse.
CONCLUSION
Many infertile couples who received the psychological counseling answered that it was helpful in stabilizing the emotional status of patients and professional psychological counseling of infertile couples with access as a teams will be needed. Further investigations are needed to study the effects that various infertility counseling methods can promote the infertility treatment process and outcomes.

Keyword

Infertility; Infertility counseling; In vitro fertilization-embryo transfer

MeSH Terms

Counseling
Family Characteristics
Fertility
Humans
Infertility
Korea
Life Change Events
Psychological Tests

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Distribution of age of entire participants.

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  Fig. 2 Duration of infertility.

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  Fig. 3 Numbers of counseling before initiation of in vitro fertilizationembryo transfer treatment.

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  Fig. 4 The most stressful event during infertility treatment.

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  Fig. 5 The most helpful people during infertility treatment.

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