title: Variability in the difficulties experienced by women undergoing infertility treatments.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the variety and extent of difficulties experienced by infertile women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A regional infertility clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred forty-two women undergoing evaluation and treatment of fertility problems, mostly at the initial stages of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  List of difficulties administered along with infertility distress and well-being scales.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infertility distress and well-being measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two difficulties resulting from infertility and its treatment were identified. Findings show great variability among women in the extent to which they experience these difficulties. Greater experience of difficulties was related to more distress and lower well-being. Some difficulties were lower for mothers of two or more children, yet even mothers of one child experienced difficulties that were mostly at similar levels to those reported by childless women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is important to be aware of the great variability among women in their experience of infertility. The list of difficulties identified here, or similar lists identified using this procedure, could assist health care providers and psychosocial counselors in identifying misperceptions of difficulties that result in communication gaps between patients and providers and between patients and spouses.
authors.affiliation: Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. benyael@post.tau.ac.il
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Benyamini
authors.forename: Miri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gozlan
authors.forename: Ehud
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kokia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003469:Culture; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D007557:Israel; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000523:psychology*; D012933:Social Identification; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*