[Psychosocial counseling in assisted reproduction technologies: a pilot study of a new approach: the "ressources...

During these last 15 years, our comprehension of what infertile couples go through has deepened, allowing us to target our offer of psychological assistance in the framework of medically assisted reproduction. From intervening in critical situations, we have passed onto a preventative model, integrated in the first stages of medical investigation. This preventative concept is called "resource counseling". The couples' capacity to cope with the ups and downs of treatment (stress, failure, parenthood) is evaluated in order to define the most adequate type of psychological assistance.

and method. Follow-up of 60 couples, 12 months after counseling by means of an open half-hour interview and a semi structured questionnaire: pilot study.

85% of the couples accepted to participate. Of these couples, 73% felt reassured by the counseling and 50% uncover personal resources enabling them to better cope with their situation. 89% agreed that counseling should take place before treatment.

"Counseling" gives most not demanding couples reassurance, enabling them to become partners of the team for questions of decision-making and compliance. However, couples have difficulty in asking for help which underlines the importance of envisaging to systematically fix another appointment after 6 to 12 months of treatment. This would also allow further prospective detection of the psychosocial risks of the treatments and to optimize the prevention of their side effects.