Infertility and sexuality: the role of gynaecologist.

Infertility often creates one of the most distressing life crises that couple has never experienced together. The stress of the non-fulfilment of a wish for a child has been associated with emotional sequelae such as anger, depression, anxiety, marital problems, sexual dysfunction and social isolation. Couples experience stigma, sense of loss, and diminished self-esteem in the setting of their infertility (Nachtigall, 1992). The role of the psysician is extremely important in every phase of the procedure, from diagnostic to therapeutic phases. Quality of treatment shold be emphasized combined with human warmth. Treating each couple as individuals, involving them in treatment decisions as well as, providing correct and complete information, gives them a sense of control over their infertility care. The perception of being subject in the baby search and not only "object of treatment", can reduce psychological discomfort and improve coping with stress of infertility, in particular during assisted reproduction procedure (Freeman et al., 1985).