Depression and Anxiety in Pathways of Medically Assisted Reproduction: The Role of Infertility Stress Dimensions.

Andrea Pozza,Davide Dèttore,Maria Elisabetta Coccia

doi:10.2174/1745017901915010101

Andrea Pozza, Davide Dèttore + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.2174/1745017901915010101

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Abstract

Background:Depressive and anxious symptoms are common psychological reactions to infertility and Medically Assisted Reproduction (MAR). No study compared depressive and anxious symptoms and infertility stress dimensions across homologous and heterologous MAR, nor explored the specific role of the infertility stress dimensions in the two pathways. Homologous MAR may be associated with higher distress as the couple feel that the responsibility to reproduce and carry on the family line falls on them, and they feel inadequate if they are unable to bear children.Objective:We compared depressive/anxious symptoms and infertility stress dimensions between individuals undergoing homologous and heterologous MAR. We also explored the association between the infertility stress dimensions and depressive/anxious symptoms separately in two MAR pathways.Methods:Two-hundred twenty-six individuals participated [mean age = 39.71 years; 54.45% women]: 118 (52.2%) in homologous and 108 (47.8%) in heterologous MAR. The Fertility Problem Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and State and Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y form were administered.Results:Individuals in homologous MAR had higher depressive/state-trait anxious symptoms, general infertility stress, and infertility-related sexual concerns than those in heterologous MAR. In homologous MAR, social and sexual concerns were associated with depressive/trait anxious symptoms while gender had no effect. In heterologous MAR, male gender was associated with lower state anxious symptoms while infertility stress dimensions had no effect.Conclusion:Individuals in homologous MAR are a more distressed subgroup which requires a tailored supportive psychological intervention specifically on sexual and social concerns.

Highlights

Infertility, the failure to achieve a natural pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse, is a condition with a severe impact on personal and social identity [1]
In heterologous Medically Assisted Reproduction (MAR), male gender was associated with lower state anxious symptoms while infertility stress dimensions had no effect
The assessment of depressive and anxious symptoms in couples undergoing MAR is an important area in the management of infertile couples since those reporting these psychopathological features prior to infertility treatment likely have less physical, emotional, and social resources to cope with the stress of this treatment [6]

Summary

Introduction

Infertility, the failure to achieve a natural pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse, is a condition with a severe impact on personal and social identity [1]. It affects about 10-15% of the couples aged 20 to 44 in Western countries [2]. Systematic reviews indicated that depressive and anxious symptoms are the most frequent psychological reactions to infertility and start of a MAR pathway [7]. No study compared depressive and anxious symptoms and infertility stress dimensions across homologous and heterologous MAR, nor explored the specific role of the infertility stress dimensions in the two pathways. Homologous MAR may be associated with higher distress as the couple feel that the responsibility to reproduce and carry on the family line falls on them, and they feel inadequate if they are unable to bear children

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