Home › Archive › Volume 6, Issue 1
Porkodi Rabindran
Vathsala Sadan
When Individuals realize that they are infertile, they often experience distressing psychological and emotional reactions that are commonly seen in people who are grieving a significant loss. Inability to procreate is a very significant loss perceived in v arious degrees across the various cultures of the mankind. The loss is also perceived in terms of self esteem, relationships, finance and health. Often such an individual may have anxiety, depression, avoidance of coping strategies, dissatisfied or poor ma rital communication, including impoverished social network. The newer reproductive technologies have raised the individual’s expectations of fulfilling their dream of giving birth to their own child. In the attempt of having their baby people tend to under go any numerous methods of treatment and subject themselves to all types of stresses. Therapies like counseling, psychotherapy, relaxation techniques, and medications can help them overcome the issues. In such circumstances, it becomes imperative for the p rofessionals addressing individuals with infertiilty to understand the psychological and emotional impacts of infertility. The professional should be caring, compassionate and competent in providing appropriate advice and information, helping them to let o ut their feeling and fears. Undoubtedly nurses have lot of scope in this area and can be of great support by being knowledgeable about the psychological and emotional issues of infertility.
Keywords: Infertility, Stress, Counseling