Psychological aspects of donor insemination: evaluation and follow-up of recipient couples.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the utility of psychological screening for couples entering a donor insemination program.

DESIGN

Each spouse completed questionnaires. A psychologist reviewed them and rated the psychological fitness of the couple for participation in the program. Follow-up questionnaires were sent to each couple at a mean of 11 months after entry into the program.

SETTING

Applicants for donor insemination were studied in an infertility program in a large, tertiary referral center.

PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive applicants to enter the donor insemination program were required to participate in the initial evaluation.

INTERVENTIONS

Couples judged by the psychologist to be at risk for a poor psychological outcome had an assessment and counseling interview with the psychologist before proceeding with insemination.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Initially, the Stress and Infertility Questionnaire measured specific anxieties related to donor insemination, marital and sexual impact, and attitudes about confidentiality; the Brief Symptom Inventory measured psychological distress; and the Dyadic Adjustment Inventory assessed marital satisfaction. At follow-up, 48% of couples returned a modified version of the Stress and Infertility Questionnaire and the other two questionnaires.

RESULTS

The psychologist's rating was predictive of pregnancy rates (59% for excellent candidates, 41% for acceptable couples, and 14% for couples psychologically at risk). At-risk couples were more likely to drop out of the program (50% versus only 20% of other couples). Sexual problems were reported by 59% of women and 53% of men. Couples believed that a child should not be told of the donor insemination (74% of wives and 80% of husbands). Initially, 64% of wives and 70% of husbands chose total secrecy with families or friends, and these attitudes shifted little over time.

CONCLUSION

This screening procedure is cost-effective and suggests that psychological intervention should be attempted with at-risk couples.