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Comparative study of the psychosocial risks associated with families with multiple births resulting from assisted reproductive technology (ART) and without ART

Abstract:

Objective: To determine whether the psychosocial risks associated with multiple births are increased as a consequence of the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) in comparison with those not resulting from ART. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Fertility units of a university hospital and a private hospital. Patient(s): Parents of single children and multiples (twins and triplets) between 6 months and 4 years of age (n = 636) were divided into two groups: those who conceived through ART (n = 265) and those who conceived through non-ART (n = 371). Intervention(s): Administration of six scales, in office or by mail. Main Outcome Measure(s): Measurement scales of material necessities, social stigma, marital satisfaction, perceived stress, depression, quality of life, and their subscales. Result(s): The analysis of variance, Student's t-test, and χ2-test were applied. No effect was observed based on the use of ART in the psychosocial variables studied. Significant differences were obtained between the groups of single (SB) and multiple births (MB) with respect to material necessities, social stigma, marital satisfaction, depression, and quality of life. Conclusion(s): Having more than one child per birth, whether resulting from the use of ART or not, increases psychosocial risks for the parents. Assisted reproduction centers should include this information with the obstetric and neonatal risks, stressing the advantages of having one child per birth. Psychosocial risks are not increased as a result of having used ART, but the goal of avoiding the repeated use of ART does influence the desire to transfer the maximum number of embryos possible. Psychological counseling should be included before initiating ART, as well as when a multiple pregnancy is confirmed. © 2011 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.