Ep. 9 | Can Relationship Issues Affect Infertility?

Fertility Health Podcast

The psychological side of infertility is often neglected. However, it often plays a critical role in the physical and mental health of the couple and their ability to have a baby. How can you maintain a healthy relationship while dealing with the challenges of infertility?

In this episode, Bill Petok, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and Clinical Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, joins host Mark P. Trolice, M.D., to discuss how infertility affects couples psychologically and what they can do to enhance communication and increase intimacy between them.

Tune in to discover:

• The psychological effects of infertility on both women and men
• Potential sources of conflict for couples who embark on infertility treatment
• Tips and strategies for coping with the challenges and stresses that come with an infertility diagnosis
• The benefits of seeing a reproductive psychologist to navigate the challenges faced by couples during infertility
• How infertility can be an opportunity to strengthen a couple’s relationship

About Bill Petok, Ph.D.

Dr. Petok is a licensed psychologist in Maryland. He is a past chair of the Mental Health Professional Group of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the only organization of mental health providers who specialize in the treatment of individuals and couples dealing with fertility related problems. He served as a board member of Path 2 Parenthood for 10 years and is a former member (2004 – 2010) of the Mental Health Advisory Board of RESOLVE. Dr. Petok is also on the Executive Council of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART).

Bill Petok earned his doctorate from the University of Maryland in 1978. Before entering full-time independent practice, he worked as a psychologist in the public sector in both Baltimore and Anne Arundel County. His postdoctoral training includes a year at the Family Therapy Institute of Washington, D.C. and an externship at Sheppard & Enoch Pratt Hospital in the Sexual Dysfunctions Clinic. His practice focuses on the problems that individuals, couples and families experience in daily life, including anxiety, depression, stress, marital and family relationships. He also has several areas of special expertise: Sex Therapy and Counseling for Fertility Problems.

Dr. Petok has been teaching physicians about human sexuality since 1984 when he began training OB/GYNs at Baltimore’s Sinai Hospital residency program. He is a frequent speaker to health care professionals around the country on topics related to the treatment of sexual dysfunction. He is currently a Clinical Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Thomas Jefferson University.

http://drpetok.com/About

About Mark P. Trolice, M.D.

Mark P. Trolice, M.D., FACOG, FACS, FACE is Director of Fertility CARE: The IVF Center in Winter Park, Florida and Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology (OB/GYN) at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine in Orlando responsible for the medical education of OB/GYN residents and medical students as well as Medical Endocrinology fellows. He is past President of the Florida Society of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility (REI) and past Division Director of REI at Winnie Palmer Hospital, part of Orlando Health.

He is double Board-certified in REI and OB/GYN, maintains annual recertification, and has been awarded the American Medical Association’s “Physicians’ Recognition Award” annually. He holds the unique distinction of being a Fellow in all three American Colleges of OB/GYN, of Surgeons, and of Endocrinology. His colleagues select him as Top Doctor in America® annually, one among the top 5% of doctors in the U.S. In 2018, he was awarded the “Social Responsibility Award” by the National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome