The role of counselling in the management of patients with infertility.

Key content Infertility is a complex state. In addition to the medical causes and implications of involuntary childlessness, there is interplay between several psychosocial and emotional factors., Along with advances in infertility treatment options, clinicians should also focus on patients' changing psychosocial needs., The counselling service plays a major complementary role in providing holistic patient-centred care by multidisciplinary staff in fertility clinics., This article provides a general introduction to the role of counselling in the UK, within the context of fertility treatment. Counselling aims to explore, understand, resolve and more effectively deal with the issues arising from infertility and related treatments., Learning objectives Role of the independent infertility counselling practitioner and the counselling service., Counselling in relation to specific aspects of infertility/assisted reproductive technology., Eligibility criteria for individuals carrying out infertility counselling., The role of guidelines in addressing and promoting the use of specialist fertility counselling skills., Ethical issues Ensuring all legal implications for the patient, the practitioner and the fertility clinic are addressed., Ensuring specialist, professional competence regarding the training and practice of the infertility counselling practitioner., Development of counselling guidelines by professional bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]