BACKGROUND: The recognition of the distressing character of infertility diagnosis and treatment has led to the development of several psychosocial interventions for infertile couples. At the Leuven University Fertility Centre, a body-mind marital group intervention was developed to help infertile couples cope with the distress related to infertility. METHODS AND RESULTS: This treatment programme was originally adapted from a mind-body approach, but integrated concepts and techniques from body-oriented therapy, art therapy and multi-family group therapy. In this paper, the therapeutic foundations, treatment goals and practical implications of the mind-body marital group intervention are outlined. Further, the treatment procedure is explained in detail and illustrated by clinical vignettes. CONCLUSIONS: Although the first clinical impressions about the usefulness of the body-mind group programme in fertility clinics seem promising, further research is needed to assess its effectiveness.

iNFormatioN | support | advocacy 3 Being able to cry their tears and be held and listened to is the comfort women seek. For many men this is a mystery: they wonder how talking can help when essentially the problem (from their perspective) remains unfixed. Writing about gender differences inevitably leads to making generalisations about men as a group compared to women as a group, which can obscure the very real differences within genders. However, this information leaflet serves to describe some recurring differences around men’s and women’s emotional experiences of infertility.

Objective: To examine the influence of depression levels and coping on IVF outcome in women, taking into account the cause of infertility.Design: Prospective clinical study.Setting: A university hospital.Patient(s): Ninety-eight women undergoing IVF treatment.Intervention(s): Psychometric tests were administered at the first visit (day 3) of the investigated treatment cycle.Main Outcome Measure(s): Achievement of pregnancy.Results: The nonpregnant group reported increased expression of negative emotions. In the subgroup with a female indication for IVF, increased depressive symptomatology (correlated with increased expression of negative emotions) was associated with lower pregnancy rates (PRs), whereas in the subgroup with a male indication for IVF, increased depressive symptomatology (correlated with decreased expression of negative emotions) was associated with higher PRs.Conclusion(s): Expression of negative emotions predicts depression levels and outcome in IVF. The cause of infertility should be taken into account when investigating the relation between psychologic functioning and outcome in IVF.