Risk factors for anxiety during lesbian fertility treatment

Abstract

ObjectiveLesbian women represent an increasing proportion of fertility treatment patients. Little is known, however, about the degree to which they experience psychological distress during treatment, or the factors associated with such distress. The present study examined the extent to which general stressors commonly experienced by fertility treatment patients (e.g., cost, duration of treatment, perceived lack of control) and sexual minority-specific stressors (e.g., perceived heterosexist bias within healthcare) were associated with anxiety symptoms.DesignA cross-sectional survey study of 60 lesbian women pursuing pregnancy using donor sperm.Materials and MethodsParticipants completed a set of online questionnaires. General treatment-related stressors were captured with single items questions (e.g., length of time trying to conceive; out-of-pocket cost of efforts). Anxiety was assessed with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale; lack of control was assessed with the Perceived Stress Scale; perceived heterosexist bias in healthcare was assessed via a survey adapted from the Perceptions of Racism Scale. We hypothesized that 1) both general and minority-specific stressors would be associated with higher levels of anxiety symptoms; 2) minority-specific stressors would be associated with anxiety after controlling for the effect of general stressors.ResultsTabled 1Table 1: Effect of General and Minority-Specific Stressors on Anxiety.AnxietyR2ChangeβStep 1: General stressors.21*Length of time trying to conceive-0.06Cost of treatment0.18Perceived lack of control0.39*Step 2: Minority-specific stressors.13*Perceived heterosexist bias0.33*Note: *p<.05 Open table in a new tab ConclusionsIn the context of fertility treatment, sexual minority-specific stressors appear to uniquely contribute to anxiety for lesbian women above and beyond the effect of general stressors. Changes in practice that reduce perceptions of heterosexist discrimination, or interventions to help women cope with such experiences, may help optimize the experiences that lesbian women have in treatment settings and reduce psychological distress. ObjectiveLesbian women represent an increasing proportion of fertility treatment patients. Little is known, however, about the degree to which they experience psychological distress during treatment, or the factors associated with such distress. The present study examined the extent to which general stressors commonly experienced by fertility treatment patients (e.g., cost, duration of treatment, perceived lack of control) and sexual minority-specific stressors (e.g., perceived heterosexist bias within healthcare) were associated with anxiety symptoms. Lesbian women represent an increasing proportion of fertility treatment patients. Little is known, however, about the degree to which they experience psychological distress during treatment, or the factors associated with such distress. The present study examined the extent to which general stressors commonly experienced by fertility treatment patients (e.g., cost, duration of treatment, perceived lack of control) and sexual minority-specific stressors (e.g., perceived heterosexist bias within healthcare) were associated with anxiety symptoms. DesignA cross-sectional survey study of 60 lesbian women pursuing pregnancy using donor sperm. A cross-sectional survey study of 60 lesbian women pursuing pregnancy using donor sperm. Materials and MethodsParticipants completed a set of online questionnaires. General treatment-related stressors were captured with single items questions (e.g., length of time trying to conceive; out-of-pocket cost of efforts). Anxiety was assessed with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale; lack of control was assessed with the Perceived Stress Scale; perceived heterosexist bias in healthcare was assessed via a survey adapted from the Perceptions of Racism Scale. We hypothesized that 1) both general and minority-specific stressors would be associated with higher levels of anxiety symptoms; 2) minority-specific stressors would be associated with anxiety after controlling for the effect of general stressors. Participants completed a set of online questionnaires. General treatment-related stressors were captured with single items questions (e.g., length of time trying to conceive; out-of-pocket cost of efforts). Anxiety was assessed with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale; lack of control was assessed with the Perceived Stress Scale; perceived heterosexist bias in healthcare was assessed via a survey adapted from the Perceptions of Racism Scale. We hypothesized that 1) both general and minority-specific stressors would be associated with higher levels of anxiety symptoms; 2) minority-specific stressors would be associated with anxiety after controlling for the effect of general stressors. ResultsTabled 1Table 1: Effect of General and Minority-Specific Stressors on Anxiety.AnxietyR2ChangeβStep 1: General stressors.21*Length of time trying to conceive-0.06Cost of treatment0.18Perceived lack of control0.39*Step 2: Minority-specific stressors.13*Perceived heterosexist bias0.33*Note: *p<.05 Open table in a new tab ConclusionsIn the context of fertility treatment, sexual minority-specific stressors appear to uniquely contribute to anxiety for lesbian women above and beyond the effect of general stressors. Changes in practice that reduce perceptions of heterosexist discrimination, or interventions to help women cope with such experiences, may help optimize the experiences that lesbian women have in treatment settings and reduce psychological distress. In the context of fertility treatment, sexual minority-specific stressors appear to uniquely contribute to anxiety for lesbian women above and beyond the effect of general stressors. Changes in practice that reduce perceptions of heterosexist discrimination, or interventions to help women cope with such experiences, may help optimize the experiences that lesbian women have in treatment settings and reduce psychological distress.