title: The Experience of Chinese Couples Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization Treatment: Perception of the Treatment Process and Partner Support.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Couples undergoing In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Treatment suffer as dyads from the stressful experience of the painful treatment and the fear that the IVF cycle will fail. They are likely to report that their marital relationship has become unstable due to the prolonged period of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a qualitative study that was conducted to explore the experiences that Chinese couples have had with IVF treatment, especially their perceptions of the process and the support between couples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The interviews revealed that couples suffered from the process, experiencing physical and emotional pain, struggling with the urgency and inflexibility of bearing a child, and experiencing disturbances in their daily routines and work. The participants described how they endured the hardships as a couple and how it affected their relationship. The couples felt that sharing feelings and supporting each other contribute to psychological well-being and improves the marital relationship. They also identified some unfavorable aspects in their partner relationship. They were ambivalent about receiving social support from friends and family members.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the couples indicating that the support that they received from each other affected their experience during the treatment process, it is suggested that a supportive intervention that focuses on enhancing the partnership of the couples and dealing with their inflexibility on the issue of bearing a child might result in improvements in the psychological status and marital relationship of infertile couples undergoing IVF treatment.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China; School of Nursing, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Li-Ying
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Lai Har
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Alice Yuen
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Loke
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires