ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To use survey results from Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology to describe program policies regarding embryo donation, report protocols used for the disposition of cryopreserved embryos, and discuss clarification of guidelines governing ethical and psychosocially informed embryo donation. METHOD(S): A 66-item questionnaire was sent to the 312 Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology programs, generating 108 responses. RESULT(S): Seventy-eight (72%) of 108 programs offer embryo donation. Forty (37%) have actually performed donation, with 246 cycles completed and 53 "take-home babies." Disposition agreements for donors address divorce (92%) and death (90%). Only 28% require that potential donors undergo psychologic evaluation. Ninety-five percent of programs do not compensate donors. Seventy-one percent require a complete medical and psychologic history and 10% require genetic karyotyping. Three percent limit the number of donations. Eligible recipients include married couples (100%), unmarried couples (61%), lesbian couples (55%), and single women (59%). Sixty-four percent of programs require psychologic screening. Storage limits range from 2-10 years. Forty-nine percent of programs have unclaimed embryos in storage. CONCLUSION(S): Embryo donation is more often contemplated than performed. Variability in program procedures and policies suggests that guidelines need to be clarified. The complexity of the psychosocial and ethical issues underscores the importance of a routine, comprehensive psychologic assessment.
Subject(s)
Fertilization in Vitro/legislation & jurisprudence , Mental Health Services , Oocyte Donation , Female , Fertilization in Vitro/economics , Health Care Surveys , Health Personnel , Health Services Research , Humans , Informed Consent , Male , North America , Oocyte Donation/legislation & jurisprudence , Oocyte Donation/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Tissue Donors/psychologyABSTRACT
The use of behavioral techniques with radiologic procedures has received surprisingly little attention in the behavioral literature. The current paper describes the successful use of systematic desensitization to enable a woman to complete a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Suggestions for when behavior therapy may be useful to radiologists are also given.
Subject(s)
Behavior Therapy/methods , Desensitization, Psychologic/methods , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy/psychology , Phobic Disorders/therapy , Adult , Female , Humans , Imagination , Relaxation TherapyABSTRACT
This paper describes a single-subject experiment testing two methods of using EMG biofeedback in the treatment of TMJ dysfunction. Following a baseline period, electrodes were placed on the left and right masseter muscles, and the subject was taught general relaxation of this area using visual biofeedback. Although data supported the conclusion that the subject had indeed learned to relax, this was not associated with any change in the report of pain or dysfunction. Equalization training, the goal being to equalize the levels of EMG in the right and left masseter muscles, was then begun. Once the patient had learned to maintain equal levels of EMG, relaxation was then re-introduced. This produced substantial decreases in her reported pain, both within the session and averaged across days for the time between sessions. These treatment gains were maintained at 2-month follow-up.
