Session 45: Clinical female infertility

Limitations, reason for caution: The sample was large and nationally representative.Response rate was in line with other survey studies but possibly more distressed women were less likely to respond.Extensive treatment data were available, but retrospectively self-reported and could be subject to memory bias.Wider implications of the findings: Patients that start treatment earlier and do more recommended IVF cycles adjust better.Those who do not abandon their child-wish experience several adjustment difficulties.Professionals can prepare patients for the grief associated with unsuccessful infertility treatment.Patients at risk for maladjustment could be identified via assessment of their possibilities to re-focus their lives.They could receive additional support to pursuit new lifegoals (increased work dedication seems adaptive) and/or be advised to seek group/individual support.Study funding/competing interest(s): This study was supported by a grant from the Dutch Cancer Society (2006-3631).No competing interests exist.