Abstract

Objectives: This research studied the efficacy of psychiatric interventions (pharmacological-psychotherapy) on the level of marital satisfaction in the presenting infertile couples to the Vali-Asr Reproduction Health Research Centre, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran.

Method: In an interventional design, 140 couples in two treatment and control groups (each 70 couples) were selected by a convenient sampling method. They all received pharmacological (fluoxetine) and psychotherapy (Cognitive- Behavioral and Supportive therapies) for a period of six months. The tools used included Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (Enrich Inventory), Social Re-adjustment Scale (Holmes-Rahe) and Demographic Questionnaire. Data were analyzed through t-test, χ² and logistic regression statistical methods.

Results: Psychiatric treatments (pharmacologic-psychotherapy) were found to significantly increase marital satisfaction (p<0.001) in the educational class of diploma and over, housekeeper women, 19-25 year old group, couples with marriage age and infertility duration of less than 5 years and unexplained cause for infertility, and without stress or low stress groups.

Conclusion: Considering the high frequency of marital conflicts in infertile couples and effectiveness of psychiatric interventions, one must take psychiatric therapies and psychotherapy in these patients serious enough to rely on. This will lead to a better mental health and improve their quality of life.