The Mental Health Professional Group (MHPG) is a multidisciplinary group that was formed in 1985 with the full support of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) – the leader in the field of reproductive medicine. MHPG’s mission is to promote scientific understanding of the psychological, social, and emotional perspectives of infertility patients.

Benefits include:

• A subscription to Fertility and Sterility, ASRM News, and the MHPG Newsletter.
• An Internet listserv for MHPG members to discuss clinical, ethical, and reproductive mental health issues and make and receive referrals.
• Access to “members only” resources and sections of the ASRM Web Site.
• The opportunity to participate in MHPG educational and business activities at the ASRM Annual Meeting.
• The opportunity to participate in MHPG committees and task force groups that influence research and national ASRM policy, as well as develop psychological evaluation protocols, publications, and educational programs.
• The opportunity to contribute to the knowledge base in reproductive mental health issues.

The interdisciplinary nature of the MHPG provides a forum for the exchange of information, ideas, and experiences, as well as the opportunity to form collegial relationships with others who share similar concerns and interests. These discussions and alliances are especially important at this time when reproductive health care professionals are confronting a host of clinical and ethical challenges that have. and will continue to have, an impact on individuals, families, and society at large.

A recent poll of the membership concluded that the number one reason for joining MHPG was to network and have access, both through the listserv and the annual meetings, to the most acclaimed professionals in the field of reproductive mental health. One response was, “I learned about the MHPG from being on the ASRM website while doing some research. I joined because I was really impressed with the caliber of the membership. I'm doing a doctoral dissertation on oocyte donor assistance and so many of the members' names appear in my lit review.”

Reproductive health is a very specialized field and is constantly changing. Anyone who works within this field owes it to their patients to be up to date on the latest research, guidelines and ethical concerns. The Mental Health Professional Group of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine is the only organization that offers these benefits to their members. If you are interested in joining the MHPG, please contact Dottie Beatty at dbeatty@ASRM.org. Margot Weinshel, the Membership Chair of the Mental Health Professional Group, can be reached at margotweinshel@earthlink.net .