Male infertility and donor insemination: couples' decisions, reactions and counselling needs

This paper reports findings of a postal survey of 205 couplesbelonging to the National Association for the Childless, whoseinfertility had been attributed to the male partner. Spontaneousresolution was seldom reported, but 36 couples had become parentsby donor insemination (DI) and 28 through adoption. Almost athird of respondents had managed to resolve their childlessness.Although reasons for rejecting DI or preferring other optionswere offered by 60 couples, 125 had taken active steps towardsit. Most of the 80 couples who had been counselled had foundthis helpful. Regardless of counselling, of the 76 couples whohad considered whether or not to tell their children of theirmode of conception, 56 (74%) stated that they had no intentionof doing so. Quantitative indices from two self-report scalesconfirm that male infertility is commonly a source of distress,especially for the female partner. However, the data also suggestthat this is not necessarily associated with chronic maritaldiscord. Couples who had already decided for or against DI reportedless distress than others. The need for mutual support may wellbe enhanced until the couple's quest for a child has been eitherachieved or abandoned.