Psychologic influence of male factor infertility on men who are undergoing assisted reproductive treatment: a preliminary study in a Turkish population.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the psychologic impact of male factor infertility on men in couples undergoing assisted reproductive treatment in Turkey.

STUDY DESIGN

A prospective study was carried out in a total of 105 men: 43 with male factor, 31 with female factor and 31 with unexplained infertility diagnoses. The men answered questionnaires-State Trait Anxiety Inventory, State Trait Anger Expression Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory-during treatment. The scores from each questionnaire were analyzed and compared according to the infertility diagnosis.

RESULTS

No significant differences were found in measures of anxiety, anger or depression among men with male factor, female factor and unexplained infertility.

CONCLUSION

In the current preliminary study performed on a group of Turkish men who applied for in vitro fertilization treatment, it was found that male factor infertility as the cause of the couple's infertility problem did not have an adverse effect on the psychologic status of men undergoing assisted reproductive treatment. It is suggested that men's psychologic adjustment to their own infertility diagnosis does not indicate that they are psychologically ill.