Stress and coping in couples facing infertility

• Infertility is an ideal setting for examining how stress impacts relationships.
• The effect of facing fertility problems on couple relationships is highly varied.
• Traditional stress and coping models do not account for partner interdependence.
• We propose an alternative stress and coping in couples model.

Infertility presents an ideal setting for examining how stress impacts couple relationships. The effect of facing fertility problems on couple relationships is highly varied. Traditional stress and coping models are limited, because they do not account for partner interdependence. We propose a stress and coping in couples model which argues that couples whose approaches to managing infertility (i.e., their appraisal and coping efforts) are compatible will experience more positive communication, and be more likely to experience a strengthening of their relationship; whereas couples with incompatible approaches will be more likely to experience negative communication and a weakening of their relationship. Evidence in support of this model is reviewed. Our approach to counseling couples emerges from the proposed model and represents a specific application of Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy.