Infertility counseling (or the lack thereof) of the forgotten male partner

Abstract

Men with infertility represent a significant percentage of the infertile population. However, public awareness of this fact is limited at best. Literature and other media have neglected the male component of reproduction other than its sexual nature. Men's emotional reactions to a diagnosis of infertility have been studied far less than those of women. However, there is a growing body of research indicating that men do feel the loss associated with a failure to conceive and have unique methods of adapting. At the same time resources available for infertile men are limited or underutilized. Several factors contribute to the underutilization, including narrow awareness, lack of high-visibility individuals willing to speak about the problem, and male avoidance of mental health services. Suggestions for improving this situation are offered.

Keywords: Men; counseling; male factor; mental health; psychosocial.