Assisted Reproduction is a medical discipline increasingly in demand. The sustained increase in the average age to conceive, coupled with other factors, make more and more people undergo fertility treatment to achieve pregnancy.
Many times the different treatments represent a challenge to strength, patience and perseverance and are often experiences that require being psychologically prepared and strong. For this, from URH García del Real, we recommend resorting to professional help, through our psychology department, where we offer support to all our patients and, in the specific case of an egg donation treatment, our work acts on the two parties involved: the donor and the recipient of the eggs.
Psychology in Assisted Reproduction Processes
In relation to the egg donor, we assess her psychological suitability. For this purpose, a semi-structured diagnostic interview is carried out (elaborated by the Psychology Interest Group of the Spanish Fertility Society) and a psychological evaluation with specific instruments (Personality Assessment Inventory-PAI, projective techniques, etc). The objective is to obtain the most relevant personality characteristics that the person has, as well as to rule out serious psychiatric pathologies such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, addictions, etc. However, although nothing can assure us that in the future the child will not develop a physical and/or mental illness (as occurs with naturally conceived offspring), our goal is to start from optimal and healthy conditions.
On the other hand, our work with egg recipients consists of providing accompaniment that allows them to go through this process in the best possible way, taking into account that it often causes internal conflicts of an ethical or moral nature to emerge, as well as a certain weariness and frustration when going through several unsuccessful attempts and even miscarriages. In this sense, the identification and expression of emotions is favored, existing doubts and/or fears in relation to the treatment and/or future maternity are addressed and, most importantly, the integration and acceptance of the chosen alternative (ovodonation, embryodonation, artificial insemination with donor sperm, etc), which entails the renunciation of the genes of one or both members of the couple, is favored.
In addition, strategies are provided for handling setbacks and the most problematic situations for the person and a positive thinking style is encouraged, since it is one of the fundamental ingredients of emotional well-being and will, therefore, pave the way. At the same time, the intention of the future parents about communicating to their offspring their origins is checked. Taking into account that in Spain the law gives freedom to parents to decide what to do, at a professional level we offer a series of recommendations on the best time and way to transmit it to the child, provided that the parents decide to do so.
Dr. Laura Blasco Gastón, specialist in Assisted Reproduction.
Cinthia Sánchez Pacha, Psychologist – URH García del Real