[In vitro fertilization and sperm intracytoplasmic injection: psychological repercussions for the couple]

The aim of the study was to assess the psychological repercussions of IVF + ICSI on the male partner of infertile couples and on the couples and on the couple itself. The preliminary work has been done on the 23 couples in the waiting list of an ICSI cycle in A. Beclere hospital in Clamart. All couples respond to the same questionnaire. The two members of the couples were present in a semi-structured interview by 2 clinical psychologists. This ICSI scheme requires a complete change about the biological paternity. For infertile men, getting embryos work as a real reparation of their wounded ego, and the guilt goes from the man to the women when embryos are obtained. This study shows that infertile couples involved in IVF + ICSI have not the same concerns that doctors. Genetic abnormality transmission is not mentioned. On the opposite the male patients are strongly concerned by obtention of embryos which restore their fertility power. At this stage, female patients have to prove by carry out a pregnancy that they are as "good" as their partner.