title: Infertility counseling for Orthodox Jewish couples.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine traditional Jewish concepts and practices of reproduction, and define problems that may arise in members of Orthodox Jewish society that follows the Halachah (the Jewish codes of conduct).
  
  
  METHODS
  Expert opinion based on clinical experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic-affiliated fertility clinic situated in an observant Jewish community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Orthodox and Ultraorthodox (Haredi) couples of the Jewish community.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined traditional Jewish concepts and practices of reproduction and defined problems that may arise in Jewish Orthodox society.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concepts and practices of reproduction of Orthodox religious Jewish couples may lead to halachic subfertility and modification of the usual infertility workup. Treatments are limited to and determined largely by considerations related to religious doctrine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Understanding the religious, social, and cultural background of patients, particularly religious Orthodox women, enables appropriate fertility counseling and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Centre, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel. kochman@hadassah.org.il
authors.forename: Ronit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haimov-Kochman
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rosenak
authors.forename: Raoul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orvieto
authors.forename: Arye
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hurwitz
mesh_terms: D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D033003:Eastern Orthodoxy / Q000523:psychology*; D004542:Ejaculation / Q000502:physiology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D007585:Jews / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D007599:Judaism; D019369:Life; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology