In the complex landscape of infertility treatments, the role of third-party reproduction introduces unique psychosocial challenges that demand careful attention. Recent research published in BMC Psychiatry shines a spotlight on the psychosocial needs of women receiving donated oocytes, a subject that has been underexplored until now. This pioneering study not only develops but also rigorously validates a specialized questionnaire designed to capture the multifaceted experiences of these women, offering a powerful tool for clinicians and mental health professionals engaged in fertility care.
The study emerges against a backdrop where the involvement of third parties in reproduction—such as egg donation—carries considerable social pressures that profoundly affect women’s mental well-being. Despite advances in medical technology, the emotional and social repercussions remain deeply felt, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of these women’s psychosocial needs. Addressing these concerns is essential for constructing holistic infertility treatment programs that go beyond physical health and encompass psychological resilience and quality of life.
To construct a credible instrument, the researchers embarked on a methodologically meticulous two-phase approach. Initially, they designed a preliminary questionnaire consisting of 38 items, articulated in Persian, employing a Likert scale format to quantify responses. This thoughtful design phase incorporated extensive expert evaluations to refine the questionnaire’s content validity, using statistical measures including the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI). These metrics are critical in ensuring that each item is both essential and representative of the psychosocial constructs in question.
The qualitative and quantitative validation processes were complemented by reliability testing. Cronbach’s alpha, a standard measure for internal consistency, was calculated alongside repeatability coefficients to assess the stability of the instrument’s measurements over time. The initial testing laid the groundwork for a robust and precise tool capable of accurately gauging psychosocial aspects relevant to oocyte recipient women.
Building on these validation steps, the researchers then applied the questionnaire in a cross-sectional study involving 180 women who had received donated oocytes. This phase was crucial for assessing the construct validity of the tool, examining how well the questionnaire’s structure aligned with theoretical expectations. Exploratory factor analysis, employing Varimax rotation, revealed a coherent and interpretable factor solution that distilled the psychosocial needs into four distinct yet interrelated dimensions.
These four core dimensions encapsulate the spectrum of issues faced by oocyte recipients: the need to preserve married life, adherence to moral and legal principles, the profound desire for parenting, and the critical requirement for support. Together, these factors accounted for over 55% of the variance in psychosocial needs, underscoring their central role in the lived experiences of these women. Such clarity in factor structure highlights the questionnaire’s effectiveness as a diagnostic and evaluative instrument.
The dimension focusing on preserving married life reflects the intricate interplay between infertility treatments and marital stability. It acknowledges that the psychosocial stresses of third-party reproduction can strain relationships, necessitating targeted mental health support to safeguard couples’ bonds. This aspect underscores the inseparability of relational dynamics and individual psychological health in fertility contexts.
Legal and moral considerations form another pivotal dimension, capturing concerns about ethical legitimacy, societal perceptions, and personal values related to utilizing donated oocytes. This facet illustrates the unique psychological tensions engendered by external gamete use, which often intersect with cultural, religious, and legal frameworks that can complicate emotional well-being.
The parenting dimension illuminates the deep-seated aspirations and anxieties about motherhood that are inseparable from infertility treatments. This factor emphasizes the emotional weight of the desire to nurture and raise children, alongside the complexities introduced by assisted reproductive technologies. It signals the importance of psychological interventions that address these hopes and fears comprehensively.
Finally, the dimension relating to support reveals women’s explicit need for emotional, social, and informational resources throughout their fertility journey. It highlights the significance of a supportive network comprising healthcare providers, family, and peers to foster resilience and alleviate the psychological burden inherent in using donor oocytes.
Quantitatively, the finalized questionnaire demonstrated impressive psychometric properties. A Cronbach’s alpha score of 0.91 attests to excellent internal consistency, indicating that the items reliably assess the intended psychosocial constructs. Furthermore, a repeatability coefficient of 0.84 showcases strong test–retest reliability, affirming the stability of the tool’s measurements over time and enhancing its utility in both clinical practice and research settings.
The implications of this research are far-reaching. By offering a validated instrument tailored to the specific psychosocial contours of oocyte recipient women, the study paves the way for more nuanced mental health interventions, policy formulations, and support programs. It invites fertility specialists, mental health practitioners, and healthcare systems to integrate psychosocial assessments into routine care, thereby promoting holistic patient-centered approaches.
Moreover, this validated questionnaire can serve as a foundational framework for future research endeavors aimed at exploring psychosocial dynamics not only in oocyte recipients but potentially extending to other forms of assisted reproduction involving third parties. It fosters a growing recognition that successful fertility treatments must address the psychological as well as biomedical dimensions of care.
Importantly, the development of this tool in the Persian language and its validation among Iranian women contribute valuable culturally sensitive insights to a field often dominated by Western-centric perspectives. This localization enhances both the relevance and applicability of the findings, underscoring the necessity for culturally attuned healthcare instruments.
As infertility treatments become increasingly sophisticated and accessible, understanding the nuanced psychosocial landscapes of patients assumes paramount importance. This study’s rigor and depth establish a gold standard for psychometric evaluation within reproductive mental health, embodying an intersection of scientific precision and empathetic care that is urgently needed in contemporary fertility medicine.
For clinicians, the questionnaire offers a practical mechanism to identify and address psychosocial risks proactively, enabling targeted support that may improve treatment adherence, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life. Consequently, it has the potential to transform clinical practice by fostering integrative care models that don’t merely treat infertility but nurture the whole person.
In summary, this groundbreaking research in BMC Psychiatry marks a significant advancement in reproductive health psychology. By meticulously crafting and validating a questionnaire that captures the complex psychosocial needs of oocyte recipient women, it equips the medical community with a vital diagnostic tool and renews attention to the human experience behind assisted reproductive technologies. The journey of these women is not solely one of biology but profoundly intertwined with social, emotional, and ethical dimensions that this study deftly brings to light.
Subject of Research: Psychosocial needs of women receiving donated oocytes in infertility treatment.
Article Title: Development and psychometric evaluation of a questionnaire addressing the psychosocial needs of oocyte recipient women.
Article References:
Ghelich-Khani, S., Kazemi, A., Fereidooni-Moghadam, M. et al. Development and psychometric evaluation of a questionnaire addressing the psychosocial needs of oocyte recipient women. BMC Psychiatry 25, 885 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07330-0
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07330-0
