How Infertility Affects Emotions and Relationships

Reproductive challenges are used as an umbrella term for various challenges like irregular menstruation, low sperm count, low sperm motility, issues with pregnancy and childbirth, etc. Infertility is one of those reproductive challenges. It can be described as the inability to conceive or carry the pregnancy to a full term.

The inability to have children biologically can lead to a severe impact on one’s mental health. The major causes of this impact are societal expectations and personal suffering. Society expects all couples to procreate and maintain their line of succession. Inability to do so may result in societal pressure, microaggression, and stigmatization. Personal sufferings include relationship dysfunctions, feelings of inadequacy, distress, and loss of control. 

Although the rates of infertility vary from area to area, generally one in every 10 couples faces trouble conceiving. The female partner contributes between 40 and 55% of cases of infertility, and the rest is contributed by the male partner. Infertility is majorly divided into two categories – primary and secondary. If there had not been a previous pregnancy, it is termed a primary, and if there is a history, irrespective of the outcome of the pregnancy, it is termed as secondary.  While there are significant improvements in science and medicine, infertility could be well treated. Due to this, success rates have significantly risen. 

Read More: Reproductive Psychology: Insights into Fertility and Emotional health

Possible Causes of Infertility and Reproductive Challenges

While there could be known or unknown causes to this issue, it is broadly categorized into two – biological causes and lifestyle effects

1. Biological Causes

These causes are usually hereditary and are carried through generations. There could also be chromosomal abnormalities that lead to infertility. These abnormalities might not be treatable and cannot be completely cured in most cases. Here, other options like genetic counselling or medications can be considered for improvement.

2. Lifestyle Impacts

Our physical health plays a significant role in fertility and conceiving. This includes diet, exercise routine, sleep routine, and other habits like smoking, alcohol, and drugs. When these routines are abnormal, they severely deteriorate our physical health and have adverse effects on the body making it difficult to conceive. These habits can be changed, if recognized at the appropriate time and physical health can be brought back to normal. It includes consuming a balanced diet.

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Psychological Distress

All these issues can cause significant distress emotionally, mentally, and financially for the couple. Treatments for these issues focus primarily on biological and medical treatment and rarely on emotional well-being. While all the factors increase the stress levels of both parties, elevated stress might lead to detrimental effects on the outcome of the given treatment. Psychological impacts of the treatment may include

• Anger: Failure to meet a certain standard set by society makes a person feel angry, irritated, agitated, and frustrated. This anger disrupts mood and might also damage interpersonal relationships.
• Depression: Feelings of worthlessness and low self-esteem might arise due to constant failure and inability to fit into social norms. It might ultimately lead to depression and feelings of sadness and helplessness for a prolonged period.
•  Anxiety: The uncertainty about the future makes a person extremely anxious and disrupts other areas of their lives too. Anxiety also has biological effects that might hamper the ongoing treatment. 

While these aspects can affect a person’s mental and emotional well-being negatively, they may also have adverse effects on the treatment for infertility or reproductive challenges. Furthermore, it may also damage one’s social and interpersonal relationships and have unfavourable effects on their social life.

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Psychosocial Impact

As mentioned previously, all the psychological factors tend to have a direct effect on your social relationships and interactions. These psychosocial impacts include

• Relationship Issues: It might cause a strain on the couple’s dynamic due to constant pressure. Since everyone has different coping mechanisms and adaptability, it might lead to conflicts. Blaming tendencies might show up during these conflicts. Open communication is very crucial during times like these.
• Stigmatization: The inability to conceive or have a child according to social norms opens the couple to experiencing feelings of judgment and unsolicited advice. It might also lead to them avoiding social gatherings and events. 
• Poor Quality of Life: Humans are social beings and hence they seek validation and acceptance from others. When these needs are not fulfilled, it might lead to a poor quality of life and strengthen the psychological effects in the process.
• Low Self-esteem: Not being able to interact with people hampers the sense of belongingness and lowers confidence. It may generate feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness further disrupting one’s social interactions and effective communication.
• Social Isolation: All these factors lead to the feeling that one does not fit in their environment or does not want to interact with people. It ultimately leads to an individual completely isolating themselves from people and not receiving any social support as a result.

Read More: Self-Isolation & Healing from it

Psycho-economic Impact

The treatment for infertility and other reproductive challenges has significantly improved in the last decade. These factors, however, come at a cost that might not be effectively accessible to everyone. In addition to causing psychological and psychosocial impacts, the process of treatment for infertility and reproductive challenges are very expensive and not everyone might be able to afford it. The treatments might also not be completely effective and thus the money spent might go to waste. 

Controlling this factor might be challenging. The cost of these treatments enables them to be performed on only a limited group. The need to “bend back the cost curve” while simultaneously attaining the objectives of efficiency and obtaining health system assistance is growing as global healthcare spending rises.

This is even more crucial when it comes to infertility treatment because this field of medicine focuses on quality of life rather than survival and is therefore more susceptible to budget cuts in health care spending.

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Cultural and Gender Issues

In numerous cultures, infertility and reproductive challenges are viewed as something to be ashamed of. This leads to couples isolating themselves, worsening their mental and emotional state. People in their environment might often view them and their situations as unacceptable and intolerable. Moreover, they also face a lack of empathy from their families and other close relationships due to neglect of the emotional distress caused by these factors.

The couple might find themselves unable to share their thoughts and feelings with anyone due to the fear of being judged and discarded. At times, it may also give the couple a status of reduced competence and be viewed as defective, which is highly objectifying and inappropriate. 

In most cases, the woman in the relationship is automatically considered to be the patient and the cause of infertility. Women deal with more intense physiological and psychological distress as compared to men. The inability of a woman to ‘give a child’ makes them a direct failure in people’s opinions.

They also fight the feelings of jealousy and envy when someone else around them gets pregnant and feels guilty about it. They also tend not to share these feelings with anyone due to fear of being judged and labelled as crazy for being jealous about someone else’s happiness. 

Men also deal with the adverse psychological effects of infertility. They experience lower self-esteem and competency and feel like they are denying their wife the right to have a child. Men might overcome these feelings more easily than their female partners by immersing themselves in work and adopting a busy lifestyle. Men also tend to suppress their emotions to comfort their wives since they view their emotional distress as greater than theirs.

Read More: Why Do Women Face Mental Health Issues During And After Pregnancy?

Marital Issues

Marital issues are the worst and most adverse effect of infertility and reproductive challenges on the couple. They might often feel the need to learn effective coping mechanisms to overcome the disappointment of failed medical treatments. Conflicts might arise due to socio-cultural differences on alternatives of having a child (IVF, adoption, etc.), cost of treatment, duration of the treatment, fear of exploitation, and lack of open communication.

Fertility treatments also include ‘sex on demand.’ It consists of the couple engaging in sexual intercourse at a specific, pre-scheduled time frame. This pressure may have a negative effect on desire, sexual functioning, and authentic connection between the couple. This mechanized sex adds to the existing levels of distress, decreasing emotional connection and sexual satisfaction.

Read More: Premarital Counseling: Insights from Psychologists for a Stronger Marriage

Conclusion

Infertility and reproductive challenges are serious issues faced by people that have both physical and mental impacts. There are various challenges that the couple might have to go through to obtain treatment, like financial issues, agreeing on the treatment, facing a lack of empathy from their loved ones, judgment from other people, and being viewed as incompetent.

The psychological effects of these treatments are often overlooked. They include symptoms of anger, anxiety, and depression. Moreover, they also have psychosocial impacts like diminished quality of life, stigmatization, low self-esteem, social isolation, relationship issues, and more. Various cultures also deal with the issues of infertility and other reproductive challenges in different ways. People need social support and reliance on each other during times like these.

Read More: Sexual Performance Anxiety: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

FAQs

1. Do issues like infertility and reproductive challenges affect work?

Yes, infertility and its treatments lead to psychological effects that ultimately hamper your concentration and affect your overall productivity. One may also face difficulties in managing certain responsibilities.

2. How can one support the couple going through infertility and reproductive challenges?

Lend them a listening ear and do not advise unless explicitly asked for. Give them unconditional positive regard, and do not make judgmental comments. Stay mindful of what you are saying and how you are behaving.

3. How do professionals assist people dealing with infertility issues and reproductive challenges?

Professionals support them by providing therapy, specially tailored to their needs, teaching them effective coping mechanisms, and navigating their medical decisions. Moreover, they psychoeducate people to understand the psychological effects better.