Two investigations (Sydsjo¨ et al., 2002; Fisher et al., 2007) found
that quality of marital relationship, including perceived affection,
and trust and absence of coercion or critical control [intimate
bonds measure (IBM); Parker and Wilhelm, 1988] was significantly
better in ART than either a SC group or population norms.
In contrast, Klock and Greenfeld (2000) using a modified form
of a questionnaire designed by Belsky et al. (1983) found lower
levels of marital satisfaction in early pregnancy in the ART
than the SC group, and Stanton and Golombok (1993) that the
marital relationship was generally poorer and perceived more
negatively by the ART than the SC group.