Psychosocial Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Fertility Patients

Abstract

COVID-19 is a challenge for fertility care. Our research shows that the key challenge for patients is managing the uncertainty that COVID-19 causes around the attainability of the parenthood goal (e.g., continued access to treatment, effects of delay on fertility, accentuated health worries about pregnancy). Patient coping strategies are often, but not always, optimised for managing uncertainty leading about 10% of patients to report extreme stress reactions in several health domains (e.g., psychological, physical, behavioural). While focus has been on patients, our research also shows that COVID-19 produces multi-causal uncertainties for staff due to unknown and unknowable futures (e.g., future threats to health, practice changes, clinic viability and finance, unstable knowledge states). Most international guidance for fertility staff focuses on mitigating risks in practice. However, staff could benefit too from learning more about uncertainty management for situations with irreducible risk such as COVID-19. Altogether COVID-19 studies in fertility care indicate that COVID-19 is distressing for patients and staff and as such welfare considerations (physical and psychological) will continue to be critical for clinics. Focusing support resources at threat and uncertainty management will help build sustainable personal and organisational resilience. Investing in uncertainty management for COVID-19 should also help manage other uncertainties in fertility care, for example per-cycle and cumulative chances of live birth.