The socio-economic conditioning of difficulties in adaptation to pregnancy following assisted reproductive techniques

The aim of the study was to analyse the demographic, social and economic conditioning of the adaptation process in women who became pregnant following assisted reproductive techniques.

The analysis was performed with the use of a questionnaire, which was designed to evaluate, among other factors, the attitudes of women towards their pregnancies. The study group included 250 primiparae in whom pregnancy had resulted either from artificial insemination by their husband or a donor or from in vitro fertilisation.

Two subgroups were identified. The first consisted of women who were well adapted to pregnancy (n=90, 36%), while the second included those subjects who experienced difficulties in adapting (n=160, 64%). The adaptation of women to pregnancy was significantly different (p<0.05) with regard to age, education and environment, as well as housing and material conditions, and, moreover, with regard to the duration of infertility treatment and the costs incurred. The type of assisted reproductive technique that could have initiated the pregnancy also turned out to be vital. Whether the women were in permanent employment was not significant (p>0.05).

More difficulties in adapting to pregnancy as a result of assisted reproductive techniques were reported by younger women (up to 30 years of age), by those inhabiting a rural environment and by those who had had a better education or who were living in better socio-economic conditions. Moreover, those subjects who benefited from more expensive and more complicated procedures, and thus incurred higher treatment costs, also experienced substantial difficulties.