ABSTRACT
More and more couples are undergoing medically assisted fertilization, a procedure that contradicts our inherent genetic preconceptions of reproduction by means of the sexual act. The very public and technological primal scene in a laboratory may considerably interfere with the natural female ability to conceive. The frozen desire, the denied sexual act of procreation and the painful instruments all prevent any erotic pro-creative or bonding urges, exacerbating mental trauma often present in the female IVF recipients. Such traumata then interfere with fertility. Building on the bonding analysis therapy methods of Hidas and Raffai (Hidas and Raffai, 2006), I have developed the Mother-Embryo-Dialogue and introduced it into the field of reproductive medicine. I integrate this as a parameter according to Eissler (Eissler, 1953) into an ongoing psychoanalysis/psychotherapy at the time of assisted fertilization. The Mother-Embryo-Dialogue reveals the insufficiencies of the woman’s own pre- and perinatal experiences, and her resulting concept of motherhood. The transference created through the Dialogue enables the mother-to-be to re-experience her own earliest body memories mentally and emotionally, even before an actual
154conception occurs. By using the human instruments of speech and language, we are able to transform the work of the medical instruments into a communication of the soul. According to Lévinas is the nature of language friendship and hospitality. The transitional space created by the Mother-Embryo-Dialogue can biologically increase the chances of pregnancy and establish primary maternal preoccupation. Several case studies are presented in my book Damit mein Baby bleibt. Zwiesprache mit dem Embryo von Anfang an (Translation: So my baby will stay. Dialogue with the embryo from the first moment) (Kösel, Munich, 2009).
