Motive for undergoing IVF may alter would-be mother's experience

Washington D.C. [USA], Aug 27 (ANI): A study has recently found that a would-be mother's reason for undergoing an In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)---be it to prevent or treat disease, earn money or to have a child---may result in variations in the bodily experience of the patient.

Researchers from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut found that there is a direct correlation between the intensity of a woman's bodily experience and her reason for harvesting eggs.

A new study compares the physical, emotional, and cognitive experiences of women undergoing IVF either to become pregnant or to donate their eggs for money.

Lead study author Rene Almeling said that one goal of the study was to assess whether different motivations for undergoing the same medical intervention affects bodily experiences.

"We were trying to determine if why they want to do it and what they hope to get out of it produces variation in how it feels," Almeling added.

They surveyed 50 IVF patients and 62 egg donors from the United States.

They found that IVF patients described the experience to be all-consuming and painful, while egg donors who underwent the exact same regimen described it as less intense.

"To our knowledge, this is the first explicit comparison of bodily experiences based on individuals' reasons for undergoing an elective medical intervention," Almeling stated.

according to researchers, the intensity of one's bodily experience is associated with one's reason for producing eggs -- either to become pregnant or to donate them for money.

Scientific researchers and medical professionals should take into consideration an individual's end goals as a potential factor in how they will experience medical interventions, notes Almeling.

The researchers applied a statistical method called cluster analysis, which demonstrated that bodily experience is the result of physical, emotional and cognitive processes.

IVF patients and egg donors experiencing IVF for the first time both had heightened levels of stress and concern about the procedure.

Comparative analyses of bodily experiences are not only of theoretical interest to social scientists, there are also practical implications for clinicians, Almeling explained.

In the case of IVF, patient fact sheets can be tailored to indicate that women producing eggs for different reasons may have more or less intense bodily experiences, particularly if it is their first cycle.

The study appears in the journal Social Science and Medicine. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI