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Bokek-Cohen Y. Sperm donors versus long-term mates: a comparison of preferences of heterosexual and lesbian women. HUM FERTIL 2023; 26:936-948. [PMID: 35023795 DOI: 10.1080/14647273.2021.2022775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The present study aimed to explore whether lesbian women's preferences for a sperm donor or a long-term mate show a pattern similar to those of heterosexual women. Three hundred and eighty-three donor insemination patients, of whom 278 were heterosexual and 105 were lesbian, completed a questionnaire comprising a series of 35 traits and rated the importance of each trait in a sperm donor and again in a long term mate. Results showed that traits relating to socioeconomic status, genetic background and general health, physical appearance, and personality were rated by lesbian women as more important in a long-term mate than in a sperm donor. It was further found that both heterosexual and lesbian women attached higher importance to the socioeconomic status, personality and physical appearance of the long-term mate than of the sperm donor; heterosexual women attached similar importance to the genes and health of a long-term mate and a sperm donor, while lesbian women attached greater importance to the genetic background and general health of the sperm donor than those of a long-term mate. The implications and interpretations of the findings are discussed in light of Trivers' parental investment theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya'arit Bokek-Cohen
- The Israel Academic College of Ramat Gan, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Academic College of Tel Aviv Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Batz F, Lermer E, Lech S, O’Malley G, Zati zehni A, Zenz-Spitzweg D, Mahner S, Behr J, Thaler CJ, Buspavanich P. The psychological burden of COVID-19 on the desire for parenthood in minoritized sexual identities: a study on depressive symptoms and family planning in Germany. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:232. [PMID: 36732703 PMCID: PMC9894671 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15127-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across the globe and is associated with significant clinical and humanitarian burden. The desire for parenthood has been described to be positively correlated with psychological well-being: An unfulfilled wish for parenthood is associated with impaired mental health, and the wish for parenthood is a predictor for the development of depressive symptoms. While higher rates of anxiety and depression have been reported in individuals with minoritized sexual identities (compared to heterosexual individuals) during the COVID-19 pandemic, the specific impact of the pandemic and its social restriction measures on this population is poorly understood. METHODS From April to July 2020, we conducted an anonymous cross-sectional survey online among N = 2463 adults living in Germany. We screened for depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-4; PHQ-4) and assessed individuals' desire for parenthood during the pandemic, and motives for or against the desire for parenthood (Leipzig questionnaire on motives for having a child, Version 20; LKM-20), with the aim of identifying differences between individuals with minoritized sexual identities and heterosexual individuals. RESULTS Compared to heterosexual individuals (n = 1304), individuals with minoritized sexual identities (n = 831) indicated higher levels of depressive symptoms. In our study sample the majority of all participants (81.9%) reported no change in the desire for parenthood since the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION The findings underline the unmet need for social, psychological and medical support in regard to family-planning and the desire for parenthood during a pandemic. Furthermore, future research should explore COVID-19-related psychological consequences on individuals' desire for parenthood and building a family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Falk Batz
- grid.411095.80000 0004 0477 2585Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Eva Lermer
- grid.5252.00000 0004 1936 973XCenter for Leadership and People Management, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany ,grid.440970.e0000 0000 9922 6093Department of Business Psychology, Augsburg University of Applied Sciences, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Sonia Lech
- grid.6363.00000 0001 2218 4662Institute of Medical Sociology and Rehabilitation Science, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany ,grid.6363.00000 0001 2218 4662Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Grace O’Malley
- grid.6363.00000 0001 2218 4662Department of Paediatric Oncology/Haematology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alaleh Zati zehni
- grid.411095.80000 0004 0477 2585Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Davina Zenz-Spitzweg
- grid.448997.f0000 0000 8984 4939 Applied Business and Media Psychology, Ansbach University of Applied Sciences, Ansbach, Germany
| | - Sven Mahner
- grid.411095.80000 0004 0477 2585Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Joachim Behr
- grid.473452.3Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, Fehrbelliner Str. 38, 16816 Neuruppin, Germany ,Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, Joint Faculty of the University of Potsdam, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg and Brandenburg Medical School, Potsdam, Germany ,grid.6363.00000 0001 2218 4662Research Unit Gender in Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian J. Thaler
- grid.411095.80000 0004 0477 2585Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Pichit Buspavanich
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, Fehrbelliner Str. 38, 16816, Neuruppin, Germany. .,Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, Joint Faculty of the University of Potsdam, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg and Brandenburg Medical School, Potsdam, Germany. .,Research Unit Gender in Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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