title: Long-term life and partnership satisfaction in infertile patients: a 5-year longitudinal study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the long-term effects of infertility on life and partnership satisfaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A university outpatient andrology and gynecology infertility clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  275 men and 272 women treated for infertility between August 2000 and December 2001.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (FLZ), the Partnership Questionnaire (PFB), and sociodemographic items at baseline (T1) and 5 years later (T2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with a representative sample, our male and female participants had higher Finance and Partnership scores and lower Health scores on the FLZ at T1. They also had markedly higher PFB scores, with the exception of Conflict Behavior. After 5 years (T2), 101 men and 113 women rated the Partnership and Sexuality FLZ subscales as well as all the PFB subscales statistically significantly lower than at baseline. Only the women rated the Self-esteem FLZ subscale lower than at baseline (T1). Participants who became parents had lower Leisure and Partnership FLZ subscale scores, and fathers had lower Finance FLZ subscale scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Satisfaction declined over 5 years for both men and women, but only in the partnership-related domains. Women were more affected than men. The success of infertility treatment had only a minor influence on a couple's future satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany. stefan.schanz@med.uni-tuebingen.de
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schanz
authors.forename: Thorisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reimer
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eichner
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hautzinger
authors.forename: Hans-Martin
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Häfner
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fierlbeck
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D019529:Sexuality; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors