[When the unconscious is not infertile]

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Psychiatry
• Psychology

Background:

• Medically assisted reproduction (MAR) is common for infertile couples.
• A subset of infertile couples have no identifiable biological cause.
• These couples are often referred for psychiatric evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the psychological factors contributing to infertility in couples with no biological cause.
• To understand the role of unconscious conflicts in infertility symptoms.
• To examine the impact on individual partners and couple dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Liaison psychiatry team consultations for couples undergoing MAR.
• Private practice psychiatric consultations.
• Exploration of unconscious conflicts, injuries, and impulses.

Main Results:

• Psychiatric consultations address deeply buried psychological issues.
• These issues can manifest as symptoms of infertility.
• The process highlights individual and relational dynamics within the couple.

Conclusions:

• Psychiatric intervention can be crucial for couples with unexplained infertility.
• Understanding unconscious factors is key to addressing infertility.
• The unique structure of each couple influences the therapeutic process.