Influences of group psychotherapy on mental health of patients undergoing IVF-ET at different stages

Abstract

Objective To investigate the impacts of group psychotherapy on patients′ mental health treated by in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). Methods A total of 144 patients treated by IVF-ET in Reproductive Center, Nanning Second People′s Hospital from January 2010 to December 2013 were selected and divided into observation group (72 cases) and control group (72 cases) randomly. Patients in observation group received group psychotherapy before IVF-ET, whereas patients of control group were without receiving special psychological treatment. General questionnaire, symptom checklist (SCL-90), and life satisfaction scale were applied to assess the patients′ mental health status. Results Somatization, depression, anxiety factors of SCL-90 of patients in observation group were lower than those of control group on the day of down-regulation, controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and before embryo transfer (P<0.05); depression and anxiety factors of SCL-90 of patients in observation group on the 14th day after embryo transfer were lower than that of control group (P<0.05); life satisfaction rating scale (LSR), life satisfaction index A (LSIA), life satisfaction index B (LSIB) score of patients in observation group were higher than those of control group on the day of down-regulation and controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (P<0.05); LSR and LSIB scores of observation group before the embryo transfer were higher than those of control group (P<0.05); LSIA and LSIB score of patients in observation group on the 14th day after embryo transfer were higher than those of control group (P<0.05); clinical pregnancy rate of observation group was higher than that of control group (73.61% vs 56.94%) (P<0.05). Conclusions Group psychotherapy can improve mental health and life satisfaction of patients treated by IVF-ET and improve pregnancy rates. Key words: In vitro fertilization-embryo transfer; Mental health status; Pregnancy rate; Group psychotherapy