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New study details thought process behind fertility treatment decisions

Category: Infertility Testing-Male

After a couple has received FSH test results that indicate they will be unable to conceive without assistance, making future decisions about how to proceed can be difficult, according to a new study out of the Nordic School of Public Health.

While surveying 22 couples who sought treatment at a fertility clinic in Norway, the researchers found that many couples in which one partner has impaired fertility are often reluctant to pursue further options. In particular, men with impaired fertility were the least likely to seek therapies that could boost their chances of conception.

The researchers largely blamed this trend on the availability of various fertilization therapies and the attitudes of specific doctors. They found that physicians can have a strong influence over the types of procedures their patients opt for.

Ultimately, they concluded that doctors should pay greater attention to the desires of their patients and only recommend therapies that fit the wishes of the people they are treating .

"Making decisions when dealing with infertility is based on negotiations and renegotiations between two individuals. One may be ready while the other is not and the process to come to an agreement is constantly affected by outside factors," says Helga Sol Olafsdottir, who led the stud.