title: The effects of gender-specific diagnosis on men's and women's response to infertility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if differences could be distinguished between men's and women's emotional response to infertility based on the assignment of a gender-specific diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gender-specific diagnoses were examined in relation to stigma, perception of loss, role failure, and self-esteem, using structured interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary clinical care in private practice settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six self-selected volunteer couples undergoing infertility treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stigma, perception of loss, role failure, and lowered self-esteem emerged from content analysis of structured interview data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences were found among women in their emotional response to infertility regardless of whether a female or male infertility factor was present, whereas men with a male factor experienced more negative emotional response to infertility than men without a male factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although both women and men are affected by infertility, their emotional response is significantly influenced by a gender-specific diagnosis. Men's response to infertility closely approximates that of women if the infertility has been attributed to a male factor but differs considerably if a male factor is not found.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science, University of California, San Francisco 04143-0612.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Nachtigall
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wozny
mesh_terms: D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D012727:Sex Characteristics