Abstract
The influence of psychological processes and psychiatric syndromes on the outcome of fertility treatments is not well understood.
In this prospective study, we investigated the effect of baseline psychiatric diagnosis and situational psychiatric symptoms
on several biological outcome factors of in vitro fertilization treatments (IVF). Women undergoing their first IVF treatment
(n = 108) were interviewed before treatment for the presence of a lifetime DSM-IV-TR disorder. Questionnaires measuring state
depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale), anxiety (State Trait Anxiety Inventory), and psychiatric symptomatology
(Brief Symptom Inventory) were administered at ovulation induction. Outcome variables were number of retrieved and fertilized
oocytes, chemical pregnancy, and a take home baby. Situational anxiety, depression, or other psychiatric symptoms had no effect
on any of the outcome measures. Women diagnosed with mood or anxiety disorder prior to the onset of the IVF treatment showed
a higher, though not statistically significant, pregnancy success rate compared to women without a diagnosis (57 % compared
to 38 %). We speculate that in women with such psychopathology, chronic stress results in biological effects that impede successful
implantation, thus impairing fertility. Fertility treatment using the IVF paradigm may bypass this negative effect, resulting
in high success rates. This hypothesis should be further explored.
In this prospective study, we investigated the effect of baseline psychiatric diagnosis and situational psychiatric symptoms
on several biological outcome factors of in vitro fertilization treatments (IVF). Women undergoing their first IVF treatment
(n = 108) were interviewed before treatment for the presence of a lifetime DSM-IV-TR disorder. Questionnaires measuring state
depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale), anxiety (State Trait Anxiety Inventory), and psychiatric symptomatology
(Brief Symptom Inventory) were administered at ovulation induction. Outcome variables were number of retrieved and fertilized
oocytes, chemical pregnancy, and a take home baby. Situational anxiety, depression, or other psychiatric symptoms had no effect
on any of the outcome measures. Women diagnosed with mood or anxiety disorder prior to the onset of the IVF treatment showed
a higher, though not statistically significant, pregnancy success rate compared to women without a diagnosis (57 % compared
to 38 %). We speculate that in women with such psychopathology, chronic stress results in biological effects that impede successful
implantation, thus impairing fertility. Fertility treatment using the IVF paradigm may bypass this negative effect, resulting
in high success rates. This hypothesis should be further explored.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Article
- Pages 1-7
- DOI 10.1007/s00737-012-0293-z
- Authors
- Inbar Zaig, Department of Psychiatry, Tel Aviv Souraski Medical Center, 6 Weizmann St, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Foad Azem, IVF Unit, Lis Women’s Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Shaul Schreiber, Department of Psychiatry, Tel Aviv Souraski Medical Center, 6 Weizmann St, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Yael Gottlieb-Litvin, Department of Psychiatry, Tel Aviv Souraski Medical Center, 6 Weizmann St, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Hadas Meiboom, Department of Psychiatry, Tel Aviv Souraski Medical Center, 6 Weizmann St, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Miki Bloch, Department of Psychiatry, Tel Aviv Souraski Medical Center, 6 Weizmann St, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Journal Archives of Women’s Mental Health
- Online ISSN 1435-1102
- Print ISSN 1434-1816