Costa, Maria Emília

Martins, Mariana V.

Pedro, J.

Peterson, B. D.

Repositório Aberto da Universidade do Porto

i269Abstracts of the 30th Annual Meeting of ESHRE, Munich, Germany, 29 June – 2 July, 2014P-361 Male narratives on infertility and the couple relationship:  a qualitative analysis of men weblogsJ. Pedro1, B.D. Peterson2, M.E. Costa3, M.V. Martins31University of Porto, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences,  Porto, Portugal2Chapman University, Crean School of Health and Life Sciences, Orange,  CA, U.S.A.3University of Porto, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences,  Porto, PortugalStudy question: What are the perceptions and experiences of men regarding the way infertility affects the couple and their role in the marital relationship?Summary answer: Men experience distress in witnessing their wives suffer both physically and psychologically. These concerns are accompanied by a sense of powerlessness in protecting their partners, challenging their traditional models of male masculinity.What is known already: While much is known about women’s psychosocial adjustment to infertility, there is little evidence on male adaptation. Previous studies have suggested that men can reveal higher scores of adjustment to infer-tility than women because they tend to contain their own emotions in order to support their wives. However, there is no data supporting this hypothesis. There is a need to better understand how men dealing with infertility perceive their role within the relationship.Study design, size, duration: This study used a qualitative design. The target population were weblogs written in English by men who self-identiﬁed as diag-nosed with infertility. We used the search query “male infertility blog” to begin a modiﬁed snowball sampling method and identiﬁed 27 weblogs posting entries from July 2004 to October 2010.Participants/materials, setting, methods: Each weblog was archived chrono-logically, with data analysis ending at the date of data collection or at a positive pregnancy test, adoption, or for no explicit reason. The ﬁnal sample was com-posed of 22 weblogs. Two coders analyzed and coded the entire data set using a grounded theory approach.Main results and the role of chance: Bloggers were from 6 countries on 4 continents. Participants had on average 32.7 years, were in a marital union for 4.5 years, and were trying to conceive for 2 years at the beginning of their blogs. Besides the impact of infertility in the relationship, 5 other main themes emerged from the data and were mentioned by all participants: involvement in treatments; hoping for a pregnancy; acceptance of infertility; feeling inte-grated in a trying-to-conceive community; and the others don’t get it. Bloggers described their relationship as close, assuming the responsibility for support within the relationship. Supportive behaviors were accompanied by the percep-tion of insufﬁciency in comforting their partners and a sense that infertility is not as central to them as it is to their partners.Limitations, reason for caution: Even though weblog data is unbiased by the research process, this sample might not be representative of men diagnosed with infertility due to bloggers traits. Social endorsement can also compromise validity and reliability of data.Wider implications of the ﬁndings: These ﬁndings shed light on the am-bivalence men can experience as they navigate the unexpected stress of in-fertility and try to correspond to traditional gender-based expectations to solve the couple problems. Mental health professionals should work with the couple addressing each member perceptions of how they are being sup-ported and support the other. Additionally, educational interventions can be implemented to normalize the varied reactions men are likely to experience in facing infertility.Study funding/competing interest(s): Funding by national/international organization(s), This work is supported by European Union Funds (FEDER/COMPETE – Operational Competitiveness Programme) and by national funds (FCT – Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) under the projects PTDC/MHC-PSC/4195/2012 and SFRH/BPD/85789/2012.Trial registration number: Not applicable.P-362 Presentation of the time-lapse video of the transferred embryo and changes of psychological status during the implantation periodK. Kitami1, H. Ando1, T. Takayanagi1, H. Minamoto1, N. Suzuki11Toyohashi Municipal Hospital, Center for Reproductive Medicine  and Surgery, Toyohashi, JapanStudy question: The aim of this study was to assess psychological changes of the women with time-lapse (TL) based single embryo transfer (SET) from the time of video presentation of the transferred embryo by an embryologist to the time just after knowing the results of pregnancy test (PT).Summary answer: Showing the TL video helped patients to understand the embryo quality and thus allowed relief in the period between embryo trans-fer (ET) and PT. However, the result of negative PT signiﬁcantly brought the women regret for having watched the video and grief as if she had experienced miscarriage.What is known already: The days between ET and PT are considered to be one of the most stressful periods for the female assisted reproductive tech-nology (ART) patients. However, to our knowledge, there is no literature on the psychological changes during the implantation period for ART patients including those with repeated implantation failure. Our preliminary question-naire revealed that most of the women were favourable for the TL video of the transferred embryo.Study design, size, duration: The questionnaires were administered after urine sample was taken for PT. Two hundred and seventy-six fresh or frozen/thaw SET cycles were included. Patients ﬁlled out the ﬁrst part of the questionnaire before the PT results were informed. The latter part was ﬁlled out after the results were informed.Participants/materials, setting, methods: All the women with ET during this study period were included because TL videos were provided and SET was done for all the women. The embryologists in charge presented the TL videos. Patient self-evaluation of satisfaction was based on a scale of one to ﬁve at ET, pre-PT and post-PT.Main results and the role of chance: Satisfaction (as Rank-4 and -5) was at-tained by 246 patients (89%) at ET and was maintained during the implantation period. In the patients with negative (compared with positive) PT, the satisfac-tion rank just after they knew the results (at post-PT) was decreased from the time of ET (P = 0.0007; Wilcoxon signed-rank test). More women with nega-tive PT answered that they did not want to watch the video again if there was a next chance (P = 0.0006; Mann-Whitney U test). Parous women tend to be satisﬁed with the video at pre-PT (P = 0.014) and post-PT (P = 0.003). Prior history of miscarriage was not associated with degree of satisfaction at pre-PT (P = 0.429) and post-PT (P = 0.501).Limitations, reason for caution: Lack of a control group is a limitation of the current study because we inform all the patients in advance that the TL videos were taken for each embryo of all the patients.Wider implications of the ﬁndings: TL video presentation provided the women affection for the transferred embryo from its developing images as if it were a fetus already. However, such affection might suddenly change to deep sadness if PT was negative. Our data suggest that parous women might have ability to regard the transferred embryo as her fetus. TL video presentation also should be promising for the patients with repeated failure of implantation.Study funding/competing interest(s): Funding by hospital/clinic(s), Toyo-hashi Municipal Hospital. The authors have no competing interest to declare.Trial registration number: Not applicable.P-363 What about the donor after conception – a qualitative study on the meaning of the anonymous sperm donor in heterosexual familiesE. Wyverkens1, V. Provoost2, I. Raes2, S. Somers2, I. Stuyver3, H. Van Parys1, G. Pennings2, P. De Sutter3, A. Buysse11Universiteit Gent, Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health  Psychology, Gent, Belgium2Universiteit Gent, Bioethics Institute Ghent, Gent, Belgium3Ghent University Hospital, Department of Reproductive Medicine, Gent, BelgiumStudy question: What meanings do heterosexual couples attach to their anony-mous sperm donor?Summary answer: In the participants’ family narrative, the donor was con-structed as an abstract person, partly because of his anonymity and partly be-cause they wanted to keep the donor at a distance.What is known already: So far, many researchers studied disclosure deci-sions of DI families. The context of this research focus can be seen within the ongoing debate about the right of the child to know his/her genetic roots. This research tradition is mainly dominated by studies from countries where donor anonymity has been abolished. Current study aims to gather in-depth  at Universidade do Porto on July 14, 2016http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from 

Male narratives on infertility and the couple relationship: a qualitative analysis of men weblogs

Open Repository of the University of Porto

i269
Abstracts of the 30th Annual Meeting of ESHRE, Munich, Germany, 29 June – 2 July, 2014
P-361 Male narratives on infertility and the couple relationship:  
a qualitative analysis of men weblogs
J. Pedro1, B.D. Peterson2, M.E. Costa3, M.V. Martins3
1University of Porto, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences,  
Porto, Portugal
2Chapman University, Crean School of Health and Life Sciences, Orange,  
CA, U.S.A.
3University of Porto, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences,  
Porto, Portugal
Study question: What are the perceptions and experiences of men regarding 
the way infertility affects the couple and their role in the marital relationship?
Summary answer: Men experience distress in witnessing their wives suffer 
both physically and psychologically. These concerns are accompanied by a 
sense of powerlessness in protecting their partners, challenging their traditional 
models of male masculinity.
What is known already: While much is known about women’s psychosocial 
adjustment to infertility, there is little evidence on male adaptation. Previous 
studies have suggested that men can reveal higher scores of adjustment to infer-
tility than women because they tend to contain their own emotions in order to 
support their wives. However, there is no data supporting this hypothesis. There 
is a need to better understand how men dealing with infertility perceive their 
role within the relationship.
Study design, size, duration: This study used a qualitative design. The target 
population were weblogs written in English by men who self-identified as diag-
nosed with infertility. We used the search query “male infertility blog” to begin 
a modified snowball sampling method and identified 27 weblogs posting entries 
from July 2004 to October 2010.
Participants/materials, setting, methods: Each weblog was archived chrono-
logically, with data analysis ending at the date of data collection or at a positive 
pregnancy test, adoption, or for no explicit reason. The final sample was com-
posed of 22 weblogs. Two coders analyzed and coded the entire data set using a 
grounded theory approach.
Main results and the role of chance: Bloggers were from 6 countries on 4 
continents. Participants had on average 32.7 years, were in a marital union for 
4.5 years, and were trying to conceive for 2 years at the beginning of their 
blogs. Besides the impact of infertility in the relationship, 5 other main themes 
emerged from the data and were mentioned by all participants: involvement 
in treatments; hoping for a pregnancy; acceptance of infertility; feeling inte-
grated in a trying-to-conceive community; and the others don’t get it. Bloggers 
described their relationship as close, assuming the responsibility for support 
within the relationship. Supportive behaviors were accompanied by the percep-
tion of insufficiency in comforting their partners and a sense that infertility is 
not as central to them as it is to their partners.
Limitations, reason for caution: Even though weblog data is unbiased by the 
research process, this sample might not be representative of men diagnosed 
with infertility due to bloggers traits. Social endorsement can also compromise 
validity and reliability of data.
Wider implications of the findings: These findings shed light on the am-
bivalence men can experience as they navigate the unexpected stress of in-
fertility and try to correspond to traditional gender-based expectations to 
solve the couple problems. Mental health professionals should work with 
the couple addressing each member perceptions of how they are being sup-
ported and support the other. Additionally, educational interventions can be 
implemented to normalize the varied reactions men are likely to experience 
in facing infertility.
Study funding/competing interest(s): Funding by national/international 
organization(s), This work is supported by European Union Funds (FEDER/
COMPETE – Operational Competitiveness Programme) and by national funds 
(FCT – Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) under the projects 
PTDC/MHC-PSC/4195/2012 and SFRH/BPD/85789/2012.
Trial registration number: Not applicable.
P-362 Presentation of the time-lapse video of the transferred embryo 
and changes of psychological status during the implantation period
K. Kitami1, H. Ando1, T. Takayanagi1, H. Minamoto1, N. Suzuki1
1Toyohashi Municipal Hospital, Center for Reproductive Medicine  
and Surgery, Toyohashi, Japan
Study question: The aim of this study was to assess psychological changes of 
the women with time-lapse (TL) based single embryo transfer (SET) from the 
time of video presentation of the transferred embryo by an embryologist to the 
time just after knowing the results of pregnancy test (PT).
Summary answer: Showing the TL video helped patients to understand the 
embryo quality and thus allowed relief in the period between embryo trans-
fer (ET) and PT. However, the result of negative PT significantly brought the 
women regret for having watched the video and grief as if she had experienced 
miscarriage.
What is known already: The days between ET and PT are considered to be 
one of the most stressful periods for the female assisted reproductive tech-
nology (ART) patients. However, to our knowledge, there is no literature on 
the psychological changes during the implantation period for ART patients 
including those with repeated implantation failure. Our preliminary question-
naire revealed that most of the women were favourable for the TL video of 
the transferred embryo.
Study design, size, duration: The questionnaires were administered after urine 
sample was taken for PT. Two hundred and seventy-six fresh or frozen/thaw 
SET cycles were included. Patients filled out the first part of the questionnaire 
before the PT results were informed. The latter part was filled out after the 
results were informed.
Participants/materials, setting, methods: All the women with ET during this 
study period were included because TL videos were provided and SET was 
done for all the women. The embryologists in charge presented the TL videos. 
Patient self-evaluation of satisfaction was based on a scale of one to five at ET, 
pre-PT and post-PT.
Main results and the role of chance: Satisfaction (as Rank-4 and -5) was at-
tained by 246 patients (89%) at ET and was maintained during the implantation 
period. In the patients with negative (compared with positive) PT, the satisfac-
tion rank just after they knew the results (at post-PT) was decreased from the 
time of ET (P = 0.0007; Wilcoxon signed-rank test). More women with nega-
tive PT answered that they did not want to watch the video again if there was 
a next chance (P = 0.0006; Mann-Whitney U test). Parous women tend to be 
satisfied with the video at pre-PT (P = 0.014) and post-PT (P = 0.003). Prior 
history of miscarriage was not associated with degree of satisfaction at pre-PT 
(P = 0.429) and post-PT (P = 0.501).
Limitations, reason for caution: Lack of a control group is a limitation of the 
current study because we inform all the patients in advance that the TL videos 
were taken for each embryo of all the patients.
Wider implications of the findings: TL video presentation provided the 
women affection for the transferred embryo from its developing images as if 
it were a fetus already. However, such affection might suddenly change to deep 
sadness if PT was negative. Our data suggest that parous women might have 
ability to regard the transferred embryo as her fetus. TL video presentation also 
should be promising for the patients with repeated failure of implantation.
Study funding/competing interest(s): Funding by hospital/clinic(s), Toyo-
hashi Municipal Hospital. The authors have no competing interest to declare.
Trial registration number: Not applicable.
P-363 What about the donor after conception – a qualitative study on 
the meaning of the anonymous sperm donor in heterosexual families
E. Wyverkens1, V. Provoost2, I. Raes2, S. Somers2, I. Stuyver3, H. Van Parys1, 
G. Pennings2, P. De Sutter3, A. Buysse1
1Universiteit Gent, Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health  
Psychology, Gent, Belgium
2Universiteit Gent, Bioethics Institute Ghent, Gent, Belgium
3Ghent University Hospital, Department of Reproductive Medicine, Gent, 
Belgium
Study question: What meanings do heterosexual couples attach to their anony-
mous sperm donor?
Summary answer: In the participants’ family narrative, the donor was con-
structed as an abstract person, partly because of his anonymity and partly be-
cause they wanted to keep the donor at a distance.
What is known already: So far, many researchers studied disclosure deci-
sions of DI families. The context of this research focus can be seen within 
the ongoing debate about the right of the child to know his/her genetic roots. 
This research tradition is mainly dominated by studies from countries where 
donor anonymity has been abolished. Current study aims to gather in-depth 
 at U
niversidade do Porto on July 14, 2016
http://hum
rep.oxfordjournals.org/
D
ow
nloaded from
 


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Male narratives on infertility and the couple relationship: a qualitative analysis of men weblogs

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