Depression and self isolating behavior found to be common among infertile couples

The behavioral change program I selected would be directed towards depression and self isolating behavior found to be common among infertile couples, especially women. Lalos et al (1986) studied 30 women with tubal damage, infertility and its effects on these women, and their partners. The women showed more signs of depression and prolonged infertility resulted in social isolation women and their partners. Depression among infertile couples is a very common situation, and most of them develop this as a result of their condition of being childless. This can then eventually start affecting their overall health as well as the health of their relationships. Klemetti et al (2010) concluded that infertility had a direct connection with mental health and with conditions like anxiety or dysthymia, however their study showed varying results for men and women.

A program could be developed that could be initiated at the infertility clinics or the gynecologist’s office. There could be follow up phone calls or visits encouraged. Added to that, psychological assessments of the couple can be a program that can act as a preventive step to developing depression due to infertility. Lalos et al (1986) did their study on depression among infertile couples, also concluded that parallel to the infertility treatment and inspection into reasons, couples require ‘supportive counseling’ as well. This counseling should be designed and offered to couples as well as individuals.

Three factors to be considered would the willingness of clients i.e. the infertile couples and their willingness to accept counseling before definite results, second, the physicians and doctors acceptance, readiness to offer support to clients and third, shift of burden from social support of the couples to the counseling support or in other words, unnecessary dependence on the program. These three factors are also the plan with which this unhealthy be addressed.

 Many infertile couples are already adjusting to their biological state of infertility, and to accept the possibility of their mental being compromised also due to that can be too much to handle. So, it’s important that couples are willing to accept counseling support.

The primary step will be the interaction between physician and couples or patients. So, the care provider has to be open to the idea of helping the patients fight self isolation and depression in future. Couples may function differently and some maybe suffering from individual issues already or as a couple. Such a program could be used without a need, so that would need to be controlled.

Refrences:-

Kemetti, R., Raitanen, J., Sihvo, S., Saarni, S., & Koponen, P. (2010). Infertility, mental disorders and well‐being–a nationwide survey. Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica, 89(5), 677-682.

Lalos, A., Lalos, O., Jacobsson, L., & Schoultz, B. V. (1986). Depression, guilt and isolation among infertile women and their partners. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 5(3), 197-206.