The importance of genetic parenthood for infertile men and women

Abstract

Funded by the Parkes Foundation, the University of Amsterdam and the Leuven University Hospital. No conflict of interest.

The Human Responses and Nursing Diagnoses of Those Living With Infertility: A Qualitative Systematic Review

“…The inability to conceive creates a profound impact in life purpose (Mahajan et al, 2009), since it defies patients' previous convictions on childbearing, birth, and parenting (Yao, Chan, & Chan, 2018). Motherhood and parenthood are perceived as the ultimate sacred and transcendent state one craves to achieve not only for its meaning (Klobučar, 2016;Prinds, Hvidt, Mogensen, & Buus, 2014), but as a way to ensure perpetuation of the genetic inheritance (Hendriks, Peeraer, Bos, Repping, & Dancet, 2017). Consequently, the inability of infertile couples to fulfill the expected role of procreation is heavily associated with an assigned merit and social status (Hendriks et al, 2017), which forces individuals but essentially females to face exclusion, stigmatization, and interpersonal violence (Stellar, Garcia-Moreno, Temmerman, & van der Poel, 2016).…”

“…Daily routines and personal projects, such as a career and further education, are delayed and replaced with invasive, painful, expensive, and time-demanding procedures (Greil et al, 2010). Distress and burden have been found along with this intensive and exhaustive journey of repeated and unsuccessful treatment attempts, and linked not only with emotional (Hendriks et al, 2017;Imeson & McMurray, 1996), but mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression (Namdar, Naghizadeh, Zamani, Yaghmaei, & Sameni, 2017). Described as a life crisis (Covington & Burns, 2006), this reproductive condition was previously considered an event capable of inducing a sense of decrease in spouses well-being and quality of life (Casu et al, 2018;Kim, Shin, & Yun, 2016), disturbing a partner's private living and escalating pre-existing intimate marital strengths or vulnerabilities (Greil et al, 2010;Imeson & McMurray, 1996).…”

“…Ultimately, the wish to have a child was discovered in partners going through ART, to be essentially related to the need of becoming a family, give and receive love and with the desire of connecting with self and others (Hendriks et al., ). Therefore, all efforts are undertaken by couples in a relentless pursuit for fertility treatments (Hendriks et al., ).…”

“…Ultimately, the wish to have a child was discovered in partners going through ART, to be essentially related to the need of becoming a family, give and receive love and with the desire of connecting with self and others (Hendriks et al., ). Therefore, all efforts are undertaken by couples in a relentless pursuit for fertility treatments (Hendriks et al., ). Daily routines and personal projects, such as a career and further education, are delayed and replaced with invasive, painful, expensive, and time‐demanding procedures (Greil et al., ).…”

Atitudes face à doação de gâmetas e gestação de substituição

“…No entanto, é de referir que os participantes neste estudo não se encontravam numa circunstância efetiva de recorrer a tratamentos médicos com gâmetas doados. Com efeito, num estudo realizado com pessoas com um diagnóstico de infertilidade, constatou-se que estas revelavam uma clara preferência pela parentalidade genética, apresentando resistência no que respeita ao recurso a gâmetas de dador(Hendriks et al, 2017). Assim, estudos futuros poderão abordar as atitudes relativamente à receção de gâmetas em pessoas que possuam indicação para o uso de gâmetas de dador/a ou pessoas que tenham já beneficiado deste recurso.…”