The most surprising thing for me was learning that infertility can be devastating for a person. However, as it turned out, among the most common consequences of this reproductive system disease are stress, depression, anxiety, and a decrease in self-esteem (Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Women’s Mental Health, 2021). The inability to have a child in the family is one of the most psychologically traumatic situations for spouses (Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Women’s Mental Health, 2021). There are stable social attitudes and values that exalt the role of motherhood and childhood, asserting mandatory parenthood. Role expectations of women are firmly connected with the need to procreate. In addition, the idea of femininity is associated with the presence of traditionally maternal qualities, in particular, love for children.
The article I studied as part of this research contained information about how infertility and mental illness are related. Unsuccessful attempts within a couple can increase the psychological stress of both partners (Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Women’s Mental Health, 2021). Women tend to have a general decrease in self-esteem after going through IVF (Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Women’s Mental Health, 2021). However, the research data remain rather contradictory due to inadequate sampling (Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Women’s Mental Health, 2021). Certainly, even before my research, I knew that infertility is a serious diagnosis that cannot but depress partners. However, it was not apparent to me that there was such a significant relationship between this condition and the occurrence of mental disorders. The study interested me in what are the ways to overcome infertility and the causes of its occurrence. Overall, I feel that I am gaining a much better understanding of how the human reproductive system works.
Reference
Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Women’s Mental Health. (2021). Fertility & mental health. Web.