Investigating Infertility-Related Stress and Adoption in Iranian Infertile Females with Assisted Reproductive Technology Failure

Using Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) is a stressful experience marked by lengthy and invasive medical procedures, high financial cost and relatively low success rate. Adoption is considered as one of the infertility treatment methods that can have great impact on healing emotional problems of infertile couples and can improve their relationship.
The current study aimed to investigate infertility-related stress and adoption in Iranian Infertile females with a history of ART failure, during year 2015.
This was a cross sectional study in which 30 Iranian infertile females, 30 to 45 years old, with primary infertility of five years or more, and history of ART failure, were investigated. Data collection instruments included the questionnaire of infertility and demographic factors, fertility problem inventory (FPI) and adoption questionnaire. The data were analyzed by SPSS V22, using descriptive statistics and Pearson test to assess possible correlations.
The mean of the total score of infertility stress of the participants was 186.1 ± 29.46 (moderate to high). All participants showed some level of infertility stress. The mean score of adoption was 38.4 ± 3.73 (moderate acceptance), 53.33% of which showed moderate acceptance. There was no relationship between infertility stress and adoption (correlation = - 0.13, P = 0.48).
Infertile females with a history of unsuccessful ART had a high level of infertility stress and moderate acceptance of adoption. We must pay more attention to psychological aspects of infertility and failure of treatment. There is an obvious need to increase society awareness about adoption and promote “adoption” as a sensible choice to form a family.