On the basis of a longitudinal study on "parenthood and child development after successful conception by IVF" in which 46 couples with 64 children born after reproductive medical treatment (IVF or ICSI) were followed up for three years, we now discuss several aspects of the psychological situation of those involved. Reference is made to the characteristics of the "structure" of the couples, their attitude towards the treatment, their experience of the pregnancy, features of child development and of the parent-child relationship, as well as to the prevailing psychological strategies of the couples for coping with the stresses and risks of assisted fertilization. Preliminary results show that during the course of treatment and following the birth of the children, the partnerships remained stable, and that relationships between family members are, for the most part, developing favorably.
