Posted by: Madeline
on Aug 25, 2011
I recently wrote an article for The Sperm Bank of California to address the psychological issues and choices heterosexual couples face when they consider family building with the assistance of donor insemination. Although infertility strikes men and women just about equally, literature in the field primarily has focused on a woman’s reactions to infertility. In this article I discuss common emotions shared by both men and women as they struggle with infertility, how gender differences may affect a couple’s communication, and the bumpy road that may bring couples to consider donor insemination. I also consider how feelings related to infertility may influence a couple’s decisions about disclosing donor origins to their child as well as their ideas about sperm mixing. Finally, I examine the benefits of selecting a donor who is willing to share his identity once the child reaches the age of legal maturity.
You can read the complete article on my website by going to the articles section or by clicking on the following link: http://www.thespermbankofca.org/content/heterosexual-couples-using-donor-insemination.
Posted by: Madeline
on Apr 27, 2011
Embryo donation is an alternative family building option that allows infertile couples to become parents and infertile single women to become mothers. There are many factors to consider before entering into an embryo donation arrangement as either an embryo donor or embryo recipient. ChoiceMoms, an organization that provides resources and support to single women considering single motherhood, developed a guide that provides information, applicable to both single women and couples, to help them in their decision-making process about whether to use donor embryos to build their family. ChoiceMoms interviewed me about the emotional aspects of embryo donation.
My interview with ChoiceMoms follows:
Posted by: Madeline
on Mar 27, 2011
What makes therapy work? Although the field of psychology seems focused on developing specific techniques to address particular disorders, research indicates that there are common factors within different approaches that determine whether or not a treatment will be effective for an individual. Many variables affect therapy outcome, but research on psychotherapy consistently demonstrates that a positive, collaborative relationship between therapist and client is key to success. A therapist’s warmth, genuineness, and understanding lays the foundation for a positive alliance that leads to change.
Sometimes great movies crystallize concepts and ideas, and talented actors bring them to life and let the audience “feel” the message. This was my experience when watching “The King’s Speech,” a movie about King Edward’s relationship with his speech therapist. Now granted, I’m a psychologist and view the world through those lenses, but I thought this movie powerfully demonstrated the healing power of positive therapeutic relationships.
Posted by: Madeline
on Mar 22, 2011
Over the years many people have asked me about the pros and cons of having a family member donate eggs or sperm. I find that people who have a strong desire to preserve a genetic link to their child, want “to know where the genes come from,” and want their child to know the identity of the donor may consider familial donations. However, even though family donations may at first seem appealing, intended parents and donors often express concerns that family relations may be harmed, their children might be confused, and that the donor may have parental feelings toward the child conceived through the donation. When traversing this complex terrain, how do you decide if a familial donation is a good idea for you?
Unfortunately there are few resources available that I can share with my clients about families who use familial donors. However, I have much clinical experience and can help family members carefully and thoroughly think about their unique situation so that they arrive at a good decision. Fortunately, professional societies involved with assisted reproduction have addressed the topic of familial donations and provide guidance to those of us who work with these families. In 2003 the Ethics Committee of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine published a report entitled “Family Members as Gamete Donors and Surrogates.” Most recently, in January, 2011, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology’s Task Force on Ethics and Law published a position paper, “Intrafamilial Medically Assisted Reproduction.”
