JIIMS final


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Infertility generally refers to women who

have never conceived despite exposure to

the chance of pregnancy and women who

h a v e p r e v i o u s l y c o n c e i v e d b u t

subsequently are unable to succeed.

An infertile woman or a couple is constantly

subjected to psychosocial stressors due to

deep rooted cultural belief that children are

continuation of family / pedigree and

security of old age. Parenthood is an

inherent instinct and a passion of high order

and thus culminates in diverse psychiatric

and psychosomatic disorders if this passion

does not translate into parenthood. These
1effects are described in a number of studies .

Typically the psychological response is that 
2,3of loss and subsequent grief. One

hypothesis suggests that unexplained

psychogenic and physiologic infertility are
4the result of Psychological stress. A terrible

emotional complex of guilt, fear and anger is

the major stress to which an infertile woman

is continuously exposed to.

A woman with this problem specifically

blames herself and on occasions attributes

her problem to past transgressions and a

punishment.

The infertility as such leads to strong guilt

feelings, an uncertain future and fear of

unknown.

The fear that she possesses an imperfect

body, fear of losing control over her life

arouse feelings of anger directed towards

self and therefore sense of worthlessness,

h o p e l e s s n e s s , h e l p l e s s n e s s a n d t h e

inappropriate projection of anger to the

partner as unsupportive, callous and

insensitive person emerge and usually

generates marital disharmony as well as

sexual problems.

It is a common observation that women

unable to conceive within a few months after

marriage start visiting different general

practitioners, specialists, homeopaths and

more so the faith-healers on account of

vague somatic complaints which are infect

the manifestations related to their infertility.

Various studies have further emphasized

that psychotherapeutic measures are more

important for couples seeking help from

infertility clinics since psychological factors 

largely affect the fertility rate which has also
5cultural and social impact.

A number of other research studies have

established that women with infertility are

at higher risk of developing

psychiatric illnesses as compared to general
6population.  Mahtstendt found that 80 % of 

their infertile sample described infertility as

extremely stressful where as Free man and

her collogues found out 49 % of female

sample considered as the most upsetting
7,8experience in their life. Depressive

disorders are the commonest morbidity

followed by somatization disorder,

d i s s o c i a t i v e ( c o n v e r s i o n ) d i s o r d e r s ,

generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive

compulsive disorder and panic disorders

EDITORIAL

-------------------------------------------------

Psychosocial Aspects of Infertility
Wahid Bakhsh Sajid

Correspondence:

Brig® Wahid Bakhsh Sajid SI (M)
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Islamic International Medical College
Riphah International University Islamabad

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9and phobic disorders. It is thus high time to

c r e a t e a w a r e n e s s a m o n g m e d i c a l

professionals and the patients alike for

understanding basic psychopathology and

spectrum of symptoms of psychiatric

d i s o r d e r s i n t h i s g r o u p o f f e m a l e

population.

1. Deanilik J, Leader A & Taylor PJ. The

psychological sequelae of infertility. The

psychiatric implication of menstruation.

Washington; American Psychiatric Press 1985;

77-85.

2. Karahasonglu A, Barglow P & Growe G.

Psychological aspects of infertility. J Repord Med

1972; 9: 241-47.

3. Cabau A & de Senalarens M. Psychological

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