Success of assisted reproductive technology treatment and couple relationship: A pilot study on the role of romantic attachment

Abstract

Infertility is a deeply distressing experience, which can threaten important personal and martial goals, frequently affecting the psychophysical health. A supportive relationship and a secure romantic attachment appear to reduce infertility stress, as well as play a relevant role in the success of assisted reproductive technology treatments. The principal aim of the study is to investigate the predictive effect of romantic attachment, couple characteristics, quality of life and age on assisted reproductive technology outcome. A total of 88 infertile women, enrolled in an assisted reproductive technology Centre of Rome, completed the Experience in Close Relationship-Revised, the Couple Relationship Inventory, the Fertility Quality of Life and a socio-demographic questionnaire. The participants completed the questionnaires at the beginning of the medical treatment. Data analyses showed significant associations among Experience in Close Relationship-Revised dimensions, Couple Relationship Inventory and Fertility Quality of Life Scales. Assisted reproductive technology outcome was negatively correlated to Experience in Close Relationship-Revised Avoidance and positively related to Couple Relationship Inventory Dependence. A multi-variable logistic regression revealed that Experience in Close Relationship-Revised Avoidance decreased the probability of pregnancy. The present findings partially confirmed the study hypotheses since several associations among couple characteristics, attachment anxiety and avoidance dimensions, infertility-related quality of life in infertile women were found. Furthermore, according to a definition of Avoidance, assisted reproductive technology positive outcome appears to be associated to lower levels of fear of dependence and interpersonal intimacy, and to a low need both for self-reliance and for reluctance to self-disclose within the romantic relationship. Further investigations are needed both to confirm this preliminary finding and for promoting focused therapeutic interventions for couples facing assisted reproductive technology.

Couples undergoing Assisted Reproductive Techniques: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model of dyadic adjustment, attachment, and body-image avoidance

“…Noteworthy, specifically referring to the significant influence of each partner's psychological symptoms on their experience of body avoidance and dissatisfaction, the current findings point to the relevance of providing specific and individual support to the couple's partners already from the very early stages of the ART procedure. This is also supported by past literature highlighting the need to provide psychosocial care to people initiating ART procedures, with the potential to prevent the development or the worsening of psychosocial difficulties and symptoms (Purewala et al, 2018) that could hinder the likelihood of ART cycles success (Purweal et al, 2017;Renzi et al, 2020aRenzi et al, , 2020bSimionescu et al, 2021).…”

“…Men are more likely to suppress painful and negative emotions, defending themselves from depression and depression-like symptoms ( Conrad et al, 2001 ). On the other hand, alexithymia measured on infertile women undergoing in-vitro treatments was associated with maladaptive coping strategies and psychological stress ( Gourounti et al, 2016 ) further considered as a risk factor for symptoms of anxiety, depression, psychological distress ( Juriü Vukeliü et al, 2019 ), and reduced quality of life ( Renzi et al, 2020a , 2020b ). Moreover, alexithymia also results as predictive of greater body checking and body dissatisfaction as compared to non-alexithymic women ( De Berardis et al, 2007 ).…”

“…Referring to the ART context specifically, a recent study (Renzi et al, 2020a(Renzi et al, , 2020b showed that, among women undergoing ART, higher attachment avoidance predicted poorer ART outcome, explaining that such relation might be given by the negative consideration that avoidant individuals have of others and the related reduced tendency to seek external support. As such, the authors continued hypothesizing that this could then lead to heighten stress hindering ART outcome.…”

Assessment of Acute Stress Disorder of Young and Middle-Aged Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction And Analysis of The Influencing Factors

“…Adult attachment was assessed using the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory (ECR) 14 . ECR produces two scores: attachment-related avoidance and attachment-related anxiety scores.…”

Openness and Communication Effects on Relationship Satisfaction in Women Experiencing Infertility or Miscarriage: A Dyadic Approach

“…Some studies report that spouses struggling with infertility also recognize the positive aspects of this experience, namely an increased sense of intimacy and proximity [ 57 ]. While studies of infertile women treated with assisted reproductive technology have shown that the positive effects of treatment are associated with lower interpersonal intimacy and reluctance to reveal oneself in a romantic relationship [ 67 ].…”