The stress and distress of infertility: Does religion help women cope?
In this evaluation of nearly 200 infertile women, high levels of religiosity and spirituality are significantly correlated with low levels of psychological distress. Clinicians should be prepared to discuss religious and spiritual issues with their patients, as those issues may play an important role in the psychological health of infertile women—and in their response to infertility treatment.
aBoston IVF, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston
bMind/Body Medical Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston
40 Second Avenue, Suite 300, Waltham, MA 02451
Note: The findings of this study were first presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Orlando, Florida, October, 2001.
ABSTRACT