Bioethics Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Blandijnberg 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Hum Reprod. 2010 Mar;25(3):705-13. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dep387. Epub 2009 Dec 19.
Although IVF treatments using cryopreserved embryos are offered by most infertility centres, little is known about patients' opinions regarding treatment using these embryos. The objective of this study is to describe how patients think about (treatment with) cryopreserved embryos.
In-depth interviews based on the method of interpretative phenomenological analysis were conducted with patients undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment at the Department of Reproductive Medicine of the Ghent University Hospital between May and July 2006. Seven couples (one couple considered as one participant) and 11 female patients who attended the clinic without their partner were interviewed.
Most participants knew little about medical-technical procedures involved in treatment with cryopreserved embryos. This was compensated by a high confidence in the medical team. However, seven of the eighteen participants thought the quality of cryopreserved embryos diminished during the storage period. A lack of knowledge about medical-technical procedures was compensated by metaphors related to other domains of experience, especially kitchen metaphors: this might add to the belief that frozen embryos have an expiry date. However, none of the patients who considered treatment with cryopreserved embryos as less effective ever thought of refusing this type of treatment or discussed this with medical staff. In addition, patients rarely discussed the moral status of their cryopreserved embryos.
The beliefs of infertile patients about (the effectiveness of treatment with) cryopreserved embryos encompass misconceptions, and doubts and fears which may influence their decision-making but which are seldom discussed with the medical staff.
尽管大多数不孕不育中心都提供使用冷冻胚胎的体外受精治疗，但对于患者对使用这些胚胎进行治疗的看法却知之甚少。本研究的目的是描述患者对冷冻胚胎的看法。
2006 年 5 月至 7 月，在根特大学医院生殖医学系接受体外受精/卵胞浆内单精子注射治疗的患者进行了基于解释性现象学分析方法的深入访谈。采访了 7 对夫妇（一对夫妇视为一个参与者）和 11 名没有伴侣陪同的女性患者。
大多数参与者对冷冻胚胎治疗中涉及的医疗技术程序知之甚少。这是由对医疗团队的高度信任来弥补的。然而，18 名参与者中有 7 名认为冷冻胚胎在储存期间质量下降。对医疗技术程序的缺乏了解，通过与其他经验领域相关的隐喻，特别是厨房隐喻来弥补：这可能增加了冷冻胚胎有保质期的信念。然而，没有一名考虑使用冷冻胚胎治疗效果较差的患者曾想拒绝这种治疗方法，也没有与医务人员讨论过这个问题。此外，患者很少讨论他们冷冻胚胎的道德地位。
不孕患者对（冷冻胚胎治疗效果的）看法包括误解、疑虑和恐惧，这些可能会影响他们的决策，但很少与医务人员讨论。
