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This study explored the health-related quality of life (HRQL) and health behaviours of children with sickle cell disease (SCD) and healthy siblings, drawing on Gap theory, which suggests HRQL is the discrepancy between current and ideal selves. Thirty-two interviews, facilitated by children's drawings of their current and ideal selves were thematically analysed. Two themes were identified. First, limitations of SCD and adjusted expectations. Children with SCD report some discrepancy in HRQL as they would like to participate in more physical activity, but overall, they appear to have normalised their condition and adjusted their expectations in the context of the limits of their condition. Healthy siblings worry about their sibling and have greater expectations about engaging in adventurous activities and for their future. Second, coping with SCD. Children have limited social support, although children with SCD seek support from their mothers. They also modify health behaviours, like reducing exercise to help prevent and cope with sickle-related pain. Children have some discrepancies in their HRQL but adjusted expectations among children with SCD may reduce discrepancy. Adapting health behaviours may help to cope with SCD but it is important that reductions in physical activity do not impair HRQL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the financial, emotional and relationship impacts of involuntary childlessness and treatment, and the satisfaction with support from professionals. 796 participants in the UK completed an online survey based on a similar survey conducted in 1997. 55% of participants had to pay for at least part of their treatment. High levels of distress were experienced and 42% experienced suicidal feelings at least occasionally. Those most at risk of distress and suicidal feelings had experienced unsuccessful treatment outcomes, spent longer trying to conceive and reported some relationship strains. While 75% would like to have received counselling if it had been free, 45% only received such counselling and 54% of these had to fund some of it themselves. Although advances have been made in improving the availability of funded treatment and psychological support, involuntary childlessness and treatment continue to have financial, emotional and relationship consequences for many people. While counselling was generally reported to be useful, an approach involving all fertility clinic staff in the psychosocial care of clients is advisable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent social science research in the field of parenting following assisted conception has focused on the experiences of donor-assisted conception and surrogacy. This article draws from a study which explored the experiences of the transition to early parenthood in 16 heterosexual non-donor couples and includes a specific consideration of the experiences of men as they navigate this journey. We argue that these couples' transition to early parenthood can be as complex and provisional as in other newer forms of family making as they struggle with an emerging identity as a parent after successful non-donor in vitro fertilisation following their experiences of infertility. Their family making is contingent upon their ability to work at integrating their experiences of infertility and in vitro fertilisation into their emerging identity as a parent. This struggle is prominent when they contemplate a further pregnancy. Considering a sibling causes them further uncertainty and anxiety because it reminds them of their infertile identify and the possibility of further in vitro fertilisation. We report novel findings about the experiences of this transition to parenthood: how couples' identity as parents is shaped by the losses and grief of infertility and the anxiety of in vitro fertilisation. We argue that their struggle with an emerging parenthood identity challenges the normative, naturalised view of non-donor heterosexual in vitro fertilisation parenthood. Our work contributes to the work on identity in parenthood after in vitro fertilisation in an ongoing effort to understand how assisted technologies shape infertile parents' lives. This article reports a small study with a relatively homogeneous sample recruited from one fertility clinic. Nevertheless as an exploratory study of an under researched topic, we discuss useful insights and ideas for further research with larger and more diverse samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]