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Female cancer patients' perceptions of the fertility preservation decision-making process: An exploratory prospective
Cláudia Melo1,2, Ana Fonseca1,2, Mariana Moura-Ramos1,2
1a Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences , University of Coimbra , Coimbra , Portugal.
Purpose:
To assess female cancer patients' perceptions of the fertility preservation decision-making process and to examine the effect of clinicians' support on the decision quality.
Methods:
A total of 71 patients participated in this longitudinal study with two assessment time points (before cancer therapy, after cancer therapy). Self-report measures assessed the decision-making process, the decision quality and the clinicians' support.
Results:
A less positive experience in the decision-making process was associated with higher decisional regret and lower decisional satisfaction. In the group that decided not to pursue FP, participants who perceived higher oncologist's support reported higher decisional satisfaction.
Conclusions:
A higher quality decision is positively associated with a better experience in the decision-making process. The oncologist's support is crucial for the decisional satisfaction of patients who decide not to pursue FP. Implications for psychosocial providers: Psychologists may be important in helping patients to adequately cope with the FP decision so that they can make a high-quality decision.