An Exploration of Women's Psychosocial Support Needs in the Context of Assisted Reproduction

This article explores the nature of psychosocial support needs andservice provision in the context of assisted reproduction. Usingqualitative data from a doctoral research project, the views ofnon-metropolitan women in Australia are presented along with areview of literature and an overview of participants' actual sourcesof, and needs in relation to, formal and informal support. It isargued that while social workers and other human service professionalshave played a consistent role in providing psychosocialsupport to service users, the overarching approach to service provisionremains biomedical in focus. This often adversely affects theoverall quality of service provision. On this basis, social workers areurged to maintain their focus on human rights, respect, and multidimensionalapproaches to supporting women and their partnersbefore, during, and after reproductive technology service use.