How does artificial insemination affect family life?

The desire for a child comes in different forms and can be strong and profound. Unfortunately, this wish does not materialise for everyone. More than one in seven couples worldwide is affected by a fertility disorder.

If the desired child is a long time coming, this can affect various areas of life. It affects the physical and mental health of couples, their social relationships and their partnership.

An unfulfilled desire to have children can cause stress, grief, anxiety or depression.

For example, some sufferers withdraw from their social environment as they do not want to be approached about their child planning (any more). In general, many of those affected report stress, sadness, anxiety and depression.

Artificial insemination to the rescue

In order to increase the chances of becoming parents despite fertility problems, more and more couples are using assisted reproductive techniques.

Assisted reproductive techniques are medical interventions to induce pregnancy in which either egg cells or embryos are treated. In Switzerland, around 6000 women are treated each year and one in 40 children is born as a result of such treatment.

A stressful pregnancy

However, we know from research that this treatment can also be very stressful and burdensome. For example, due to the high costs, the various medical examinations and interventions and the high level of uncertainty, as only some of the treatment attempts are successful.

The treatment requires a high financial, time and emotional commitment from the couples. Even if a pregnancy has occurred, the treated women report more stress and anxiety than women who became pregnant naturally.

The diversions to family happiness therefore poses many challenges for those affected. With the increase in successful treatments in recent years, the question of whether the treatment leaves its mark in the long term, i.e. how families fare after the birth of the child, has become increasingly important.

Too little research into the family situation

The research to date paints a reassuring picture. Assisted reproductive technologies appear to have little impact on family members and family life. However, the studies are not conclusive and only a few relate to childhood.

Affected families are older at birth and often have a higher income.

One of the difficulties for researchers is that families who have had their child with the help of assisted reproductive techniques differ from families who have had their child naturally. For example, they are older when the child is born and often have a higher income.

New study approach at the University of Zurich

In the scientific study «StART Family» at the University of Zurich, we want to investigate the effects of successful assisted reproduction on the family in more detail so that we can better understand the opportunities and risks.

In order to be able to compare the families despite their differences, we are looking for a very specific family constellation for participation in the study. Namely, families of four who conceived one of their two children using assisted reproductive techniques and the other naturally.

As a thank you for taking part, you will receive a gift set worth 150 francs.

We would like to compare these families in terms of the parents' mental health, parenthood and the psychosocial development of the children. Hopefully, we will soon know whether assisted reproductive treatment leaves its mark on everyday family life. So, are you and your family taking part in our study?

These are the criteria for participation in the study

For our study, we are looking for families of four who have had one of their two children with the help of assisted reproductive techniques and the other child naturally. The children should be between 2 and 14 years old.

We investigate:

• the mental health of mothers and fathers
• Parenting (e.g. parenting behaviour)
• the psychosocial development of children
• Biological variables that provide an indication of the stress experienced

You can take part in the study as a family from home. Participation involves the parents completing psychological questionnaires and the whole family collecting fingernail and saliva samples themselves once.

All data collected will be treated with absolute confidentiality and encrypted. Participation takes place over a period of 2 to 3 weeks and the total time required is 2 to 3 hours.

This research project is being conducted at the University of Zurich under the direction of Prof. Dr rer. nat. Ulrike Ehlert as part of the university's research focus «Human Reproduction Reloaded».