Abstract
Using data from a population survey, this article explores whether perceptions of having a fertility problem among 926 U.S. couples in heterosexual relationships (women aged 25–45 and male partners) are associated with distress. Most couples did not perceive a fertility problem (58%). In almost a third (30%) of the couples, only women perceived a fertility problem; in 4%, only the men; and in nearly a fifth (19%), both perceived a problem. Adjusted for characteristics associated with fertility problems and depressive symptoms, those who perceived a problem exhibited significantly more depressive symptoms than those who did not. Fertility problems are sometimes experienced as individual because in some couples only one partner perceives a problem or has higher distress in response to their own rather than to their partners’ perceived problems. For women, fertility problems are experienced as a couple phenomenon because women were more distressed when both partners perceive a problem. The perception of fertility problems is gendered in that women were more likely to perceive a problem than men. Furthermore, men are most distressed when they perceive a problem and their partner does not.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 342-362 |
Number of pages | 21 |
Journal | Journal of Social and Personal Relationships |
Volume | 38 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 2021 |
Keywords
- Couples
- depressive symptoms
- infertility
- life course
- multilevel-models
- stress process
- survey research
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Psychology
- Communication
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Sociology and Political Science