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Review
. 2021 Jun 8;18(12):6184.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18126184.

The Gender Gap in the Diagnostic-Therapeutic Journey of the Infertile Couple

Giuseppe Gullo  1 , Gaspare Cucinella  1 , Antonio Perino  1 , Domenico Gullo  2 , Daniela Segreto  2 , Antonio Simone Laganà  3 , Giovanni Buzzaccarini  4 , Zaira Donarelli  5 , Angelo Marino  6 , Adolfo Allegra  6 , Marianna Maranto  1 , Andrea Roberto Carosso  7 , Piernicola Garofalo  2 , Rossella Tomaiuolo  8
Affiliations
Review

The Gender Gap in the Diagnostic-Therapeutic Journey of the Infertile Couple

Giuseppe Gullo et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Medical procreation impairs both the biological and psychological lives of couples. However, male and female attitudes to infertility are different and require a different approach during the IVF journey. Thus, the gender impact assessment (GIA) method was used to analyse original studies present in the literature. We found some gender-related differences and, subsequently, possible outcomes of intervention to improve healthy reproduction management and prevent infertility. In particular, it became apparent that there was the need for an in-depth male infertility assessment and a gender-specific follow-up.

Keywords: assisted reproductive technology (ART); gender-oriented specific approach; male infertility.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The steps of GIA applied to couple infertility. To obtain disaggregate data by sex, the diagnostic-therapeutic journey of infertility was analysed separately for males and females. Genetic tests, assisted reproduction techniques, and psychological factors were chosen as indicators to assess the gender impacts.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The infertile couple is subjected to instrumental and laboratory investigations to define the most appropriate diagnosis and therapy. The figure shows the most common diagnostic examinations prescribed to the women (red line) and the men (blue line), as derived by the analysis of the studies and the experience of the ART clinics involved in this study.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Crucial points of intervention for improving couple infertility management with a gender-oriented approach.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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