Langtidskonsekvenser av infertilitet : En oppfølgingsstudie

Abstract

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to review the long-term effects of infertility patients at the State Referral Hospital (Rikshospitalet) undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) 9 years ago. We asked about how they felt at the time of the infertility treatment, and how satisfied they were with the treatment as well as several questions about outcome, life events and health. Design: All 970 registered patients/ couples in 1996 were identified, and we sent a questionnaire to a random sample of 164 of the couples, including the psychometric test called General Health Questionnaire (12 items). Response rate was 40 % of the women and 27 % of the men). We thus focused in this study only on the women. Results: Most of the women are in good health today. Most of them are still living together with the same partner as during the treatment, and 82 % are living with one or more children. Some have adopted, some have given birth, and a few remain childless. Most of the women feel that their marital life and sexual life is good, and they feel that they have moved on positively. They don’t feel like their relationship to their children is different from others. They do not have any other worries for the children than what is normal, but have not told their children about the treatment. The women were in general also satisfied with the medical treatment they got. They felt the treatment was a bit technical, and missed the emotional support. They felt that the employees took good care of them, and are very satisfied with their work. There were some disagreements regarding if they had gotten all the information they needed or not, some said yes and some missed information. Conclusion: It seems like the women have a fairly normal life now, 9 years later. They seem to have a well functioning marital life and sexual life, and they are in good health. Most of them were also satisfied with the past infertility treatment, even though they found it hard, stressful, and a bit too technical.