Parenting and child psychosocial development after infertility management

摘要

Infertility management through assisted reproductive technology (ART) has increased over several decades. Concerns have been expressed that the distress associated with infertility, together with the medical and psychosocial demands of ART, may impact adversely on subsequent family functioning, A review of current research, however, revealed few differences in parenting after ART, relative to natural conception families The parenting characteristics identified (eg early, child-focused concerns, more protective attitudes and warmth in parenting) are best understood contextually, and do not appear to translate into differences in ART-conceived children's psychosocial development compared with naturally conceived peers While cultural factors differentiate some aspects of ART parent adjustment, the findings indicate that protective social factors combined with an investment in parenthood mitigate adverse outcomes Further targeted research is required as little is known of family adjustment beyond childhood or following conception through newer and less traditional ART procedures