Women's Perceptions of Immediate and Long-Term Effects of Failed Infertility Treatment on Marital and Sexual Satisfaction

This exploratory study, utilizing retrospective responses to Hudson's (1982) Index of Marital and Sexual Satisfaction, examines the immediate and long-term effects of infertility treatment on the marital and sexual relationship, as perceived by women who failed to become pregnant during treatment. Evaluation of their relationships before, during, and after treatment indicates that, for these women, infertility treatment significantly affects both marital and sexual satisfaction after treatment is terminated, as well as during treatment. These posttreatment responses suggest that family life professionals may need to consider the long-term effects of infertility treatment when working with childless women who underwent such treatment some time in the past.