Mood In Women Research Articles

Effect of l-arginine compared to placebo on sexual function in women with major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundWhile some evidence suggests that l-arginine may improve sexual function and alleviate depression, it has not been investigated in women with depression to assess both its effects on the depression and sexual function concurrently.MethodsPatients who had received a diagnosis of major depressive disorder, as determined by predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, were enrolled in this triple-blind clinical trial. Patients were divided into two groups: group A, received L-arginine 1 gram twice daily, and group B, received a placebo for four weeks. They were evaluated at baseline, after four and eight weeks with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and Rosen’s questionnaire or Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).ResultsA decrease in the severity of depression was observed in all patients, which was determined due to Hamilton’s questionnaire (P-value < 0.001). During the time in group A, FSFI increased. Based on the FSFI questionnaire, they had improvement in some domains, including the lubrication index and orgasm index, which significantly changed in the eighth week compared to the baseline (P-value < 0.05). However, these two indicators did not change statistically significantly compared to the placebo group.ConclusionL-arginine supplementation can improve sexual function, particularly lubrication and orgasm, and mood in women with depression, with minimal side effects observed. Additional research is necessary to validate these results by examining the effects of higher dosages, extended durations, and larger populations of depressed patients.Trial registrationIranian Registry of Clinical Trial: IRCT20100127003210N26.

Oxytocin and women's health in midlife.

Menopause marks the cessation of fertility and the transition to post-reproductive years. Nearly 1 million US women experience menopause annually, but despite the significant impact it has on their physical and mental health, menopause has been insufficiently studied. Oxytocin is a neurohormone that regulates emotionality, social behaviors, and fundamental physiological systems. Localization of oxytocin receptors in the brain, reproductive tissues, bone, and heart support their role in mental health and potentially sleep, along with reproductive and cardiovascular functions. While experimental data linking oxytocin to behavior and physiology in animals are largely consistent, human data are correlative and inconclusive. As women transition into menopause, oxytocin levels decrease while their susceptibility to mood disorders, poor sleep, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular diseases increases. These concurrent changes highlight oxytocin as a potential influence on the health and mood of women along their reproductive life span. Here, we summarize experimental rodent and non-human primate studies that link oxytocin to reproductive aging and metabolic health and highlight the inconclusive findings in studies of women. Most human studies relied on a single oxytocin assessment in plasma or on intranasal oxytocin administration. The pulsatile release and short half-life of plasma oxytocin limit the validity of these methods. We discuss the need for oxytocin assessments in stable bio-samples, such as urine, and to use valid assays for assessment of associations between changing oxytocin levels and well-being across the reproductive life span. This work has the potential to guide therapeutic strategies that will one day alleviate adverse health outcomes for many women.

The effects of aromatherapy on the mood state and resilience of pregnant women: A clinical trial.

Pregnancy has always been associated with rapid physiological, emotional, and social changes that can cause mothers' stress and anxiety, eventually leading to psychological effects. Therefore, resilience and knowing how to deal with stress during pregnancy are of great importance. As a result, this study aimed to investigate the effects of aromatherapy on pregnant women's mood and resilience. This clinical trial study was conducted on 70 pregnant women in 2021. Participants were randomly selected from Isfahan's health centers and then divided into two groups. A handkerchief sprinkled with orange blossom essential oil was given to the experimental group to inhale for an hour, three times a week for a month. However, the control group received only the usual care. The mood state and resilience of the participants were evaluated before the intervention, immediately after, and also one month after the intervention. Data analysis was carried out using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPPS) 24.0, independent-samples t-test, Chi-square, and Mann-Whitney U-test. According to the results, the score of mood state in the experimental group was 60/97±14/26 before the intervention, 40/97±14/30 immediately after receiving the intervention, and 49/86±11/78 one month after the intervention. These findings indicated that the score of mood state in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0/05). Moreover, the mean score of resilience in the experimental group was 60/83±13/02 before the intervention, 66/54±7/85 immediately after receiving the intervention, and 62/80±8/07 one month after the intervention. The results showed that the mean score of this variable was significantly higher in the experimental group compared with the control group immediately after the intervention and insignificantly higher than the control group one month after the intervention. Aromatherapy with orange blossom oil can enhance mothers' mood state and resilience during the third trimester. As a result, orange blossom oil can be used as a complementary therapy.

Effectiveness of a Saffron and Withania Supplement on Mood in Women With Mild‐to‐Moderate Anxiety During the COVID‐19 Lockdown

Background: A nutritional supplement based on medicinal plants (saffron and ashwagandha), tryptophan, and vitamin B6 could contribute to alleviating/improving mood and associated disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential benefits of this combination supplement. During the study period, participants underwent a period of forced home confinement due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, which represented an unexpected impact factor.Methods: This open‐label prospective trial enrolled a cohort of female employees who reported mild to moderate anxiety. The primary objective was to evaluate changes in the level of anxiety using the adapted Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS) after 12 weeks of regular supplementation with Safromotive (two tablets daily, for 12 weeks). The secondary objectives were to evaluate health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) and tolerability.Results: In total, 46 women with a mean age of 45.0 (6.5) years were included. A statistically significant improvement in HARS was observed, with a 7.5‐unit decrease from baseline to 12 weeks (p &lt; 0.0001) and from 4 to 12 weeks of supplement intake (p = 0.0058). However, no significant changes were found during the lockdown period (between weeks 8 and 12 of the study). No relationship was found between women’s sociodemographic characteristics and the HARS total score. A significant reduction in the HRQoL questionnaire score of 1.2 units was observed between baselines and 12 weeks of treatment (p = 0.0273). At the end of the study, 78.6% of the women reported consistency the supplement intake during the study course.Conclusion: This nutritional supplement composed of saffron, ashwagandha, tryptophan, and vitamin B6 appears to improve anxiety and HRQoL, but confinement could have impacted the evolution of the outcome.

Mediation of Emotional Eating in the Effects of Self-Regulating Eating on Short- And Long-Term Weight Loss: Additional Impacts from Baseline Mood in Women with Obesity

Mediation of Emotional Eating in the Effects of Self-Regulating Eating on Short- And Long-Term Weight Loss: Additional Impacts from Baseline Mood in Women with Obesity

Relationship between Hormonal Contraception and Mental Health: A Cross-sectional Study in Ecuador

Millions of women worldwide use hormonal contraceptives as an effective form of contraception. However, the focus on their side effects to date has mainly been on the physical aspects, although the most common reason for discontinuation is depression. The main objective of our research is to assess the impact hormonal contraceptives have on mood in women of childbearing age. Surprisingly, there are few studies investigating depression related to hormonal contraceptive use. More research is needed to better inform women and physicians about contraceptive-related depression, as well as clinical guidelines on the different types of oral contraceptives and their possible depressogenic properties. A nationally representative sample of women aged 12 years and older from the 2018 National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) was used. We used multicollinearity tests to rule out possible statistical modeling problems and a binary logistic linear regression model where Odds Ratio (OR) with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated for each of the independent variables. In addition, we used specificity tests to test the fit between our dependent and independent variables. That is, our results reveal that the use of hormonal contraceptives increased 3.12-fold (OR=3.12; CI=3.046-3.321) the likelihood of chronic mental illnesses such as depression. This result is statistically significant (p&lt;0.05). It was also demonstrated that women in rural areas with lower income and low schooling are more susceptible to mental disorders compared to the rest of the population. We also showed that variables such as age, a greater number of children, obesity, low schooling, unemployment, being a migrant and greater urban density have a positive influence on the probability of suffering from chronic mental disorders. The results of this study showed that, although poor mental health is correlated with the type of family planning, fear of depression should not be an obstacle to choosing between these methods. It became evident that depression is a multifactorial issue. This study showed that the type of family planning method itself cannot be the cause of depression and should be considered by family planners and counselors.

Divergent Transcriptomic Effects of Allopregnanolone in Postpartum Depression.

Brexanolone, a formulation of the neurosteroid allopregnanolone (ALLO), is approved for treating postpartum depression (PPD) and is being investigated for therapeutic efficacy across numerous neuropsychiatric disorders. Given ALLO's beneficial effects on mood in women with PPD compared to healthy control women, we sought to characterize and compare the cellular response to ALLO in women with (n = 9) or without (n = 10, i.e., Controls) past PPD, utilizing our previously established patient-derived lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). To mimic in vivo PPD ALLO-treatment, LCLs were exposed to ALLO or DMSO vehicle for 60 h and RNA-sequenced to detect differentially expressed genes (DEGs, pnominal < 0.05). Between ALLO-treated Control and PPD LCLs, 269 DEGs were identified, including Glutamate Decarboxylase 1 (GAD1), which was decreased 2-fold in PPD. Network analysis of PPD:ALLO DEGs revealed enriched terms related to synaptic activity and cholesterol biosynthesis. Within-diagnosis analyses (i.e., DMSO vs. ALLO) detected 265 ALLO-induced DEGs in Control LCLs compared to only 98 within PPD LCLs, with just 11 DEGs overlapping. Likewise, the gene ontologies underlying ALLO-induced DEGs in PPD and Control LCLs were divergent. These data suggest that ALLO may activate unique and opposing molecular pathways in women with PPD, which may be tied to its antidepressant mechanism.

0635 Associations Between Ambient Light Exposure and Development of Depressive Symptoms in Women at Risk for Postpartum Depression

Abstract Introduction There is increasing recognition that ambient light exposure plays a critical role in daytime functioning, including mood regulation. In this analysis, we examined associations between 24-hour light exposure patterns and mood in women at risk of developing postpartum depression. Methods Perinatal women ages 18-40 with a history of major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder who did not meet criteria for depression at study enrollment during 3rd trimester wore wrist actigraphs that recorded ambient light levels for one week at 3rd trimester (~33 weeks’ gestation) and again during postpartum weeks 2, 6, and 16. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D-17) at the end of each recording week. To summarize the light data, we calculated the arithmetic mean of the log-light levels in twenty-four 60-minute bins across each day and then aggregated each hour across each recording week. We used nonlinear model fitting (cosinor) to calculate area under the curve (AUC) and compared 24-hour and morning (8:00 am to 12:00 pm) light exposure patterns between women with elevated depression symptoms at week 16 (HAM-D-17 &amp;gt; 7) and women with low depression symptoms at study entry and week 16 (HAM-D-17 &amp;lt;=7) using Mann-Whitney U-tests. Results Compared with women who did not become depressed (n=15), those who ultimately developed depression (n=8) had significantly lower morning light exposure at 3rd trimester and at postpartum week 6, but not at postpartum week 16. Effect sizes were moderate at 3rd trimester (eta-squared=0.30) and small at Week 6 (eta squared=0.24). There were no significant differences in the overall 24-hour AUC of light exposure between participants who developed significant depressive symptoms at postpartum week 16 and non-depressed women at any time point [3rd trimester: p=0.35; postpartum week 6: p=0.92; postpartum week 16: p=0.35]. Conclusion In this sample of perinatal women at risk for postpartum depression, new mothers who developed clinically-significant depressive symptoms at postpartum week 16 had lower levels of morning light exposure during 3rd trimester and at 6 weeks postpartum. Lower peripartum morning light exposure may predict the development of postpartum depression. Support (if any) MH086689 to KMS

The Mood of Menopausal Women is Affected by Stress Levels and Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression

Introduction: Menopause is a period of vulnerability to psychological manifestations and can increase the sensitivity of emotions to stress and mood. Studies have analyzed factors associated with stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression, however, it is still scarce in the literature whether the mood changes these symptoms in menopausal women. Objective: To analyze the relationship between mood and stress and depressive symptoms and anxiety in menopausal women. Methods: Cross-sectional study composed of 90 menopausal women aged 40 to 59 years (52.6±4.1), one year without menstruation, with serum FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) levels ≥25IU/ml, and with a positive score to the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) questionnaire. The questionnaires were composed of sociodemographic and clinical aspects, Brunel’s Mood Scale (BRUMS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results: Women who showed symptoms of anxiety and depression scored more on the subscales of negative mood (p&lt;0,001), and less on the subscale of positive mood (p&lt;0,001) for depression and anxiety (p=0,005); besides that they were more stressed than those without symptoms of anxiety and depression. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that mental confusion, fatigue and vigor have a predictive power of 33% in the stress of menopausal women. Conclusions: The mood of women in menopause seems to be affected by those with high levels of stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

A comparison of the impact of exposure to fit ideal and non-fit ideal body shapes in fitspiration imagery on women

Previous research indicates a negative impact of exposure to fitspiration on women's mood, self-esteem, and body satisfaction. Fitspiration typically features thin and toned bodies, but there is some variation in the body types shown, which may influence its effects on viewers. Participants (N = 605women) were randomly allocated to view fit ideal, non-fit ideal, or neutral control images from Instagram, and completed state measures of appearance self-esteem, self-objectification, body satisfaction, and negative mood before and after image exposure. Women in the fitspiration conditions also reported level of state appearance comparison with women depicted and how inspired they were to do more exercise. Fit ideal and non-fit ideal images had a negative effect on body satisfaction. However, participants in the non-fit ideal condition showed an increase in state self-esteem and a decrease in state negative mood following image exposure, in contrast to the fit ideal condition. Condition did not have an impact on state self-objectification and there was no difference between fitspiration conditions in how inspired participants felt to do more exercise. State appearance comparison was correlated with change in self-esteem, negative mood, body satisfaction scores and with how inspired individuals felt to exercise. Small effect sizes and limitations indicate that replication of findings is required. However, the effects of viewing fitspiration imagery may depend on thinness and muscle tone of models shown, and level of comparison with people portrayed.

The effect of hormone replacement therapy on cognition and mood.

To summarise the available data regarding the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on cognition and mood in women. Complaints of impaired cognition and mood are common in the peri-menopausal and menopausal period. There is debate as to whether HRTcan ameliorate this phenomenon. A literature search of studies using electronic databases was conducted. Both randomised control trials and observational studies were included. Perimenopausal and menopausal women. Due to the heterogenicity of results it is challenging to draw firm conclusions. The preparations used in many of the studies are older regimes no longer routinely used clinically. The notion of a 'critical window' for HRT is compelling, suggesting HRT has a positive impact on cognition when administered in the peri-menopausal or early postmenopausal period but may have negative effects on cognition in the older, postmenopausal woman. The evidence would seem to suggest importance of hormonal replacement in woman undergoing a surgical menopause, especially when young. It remains unclear for how long they ought to continue HRT though until at least the natural age of the menopause seems reasonable. Evidence for a positive effect of HRT on mood is more convincing, though possibly more efficacious in the younger age group. The effect of HRT on anxiety is less clear. Further study, particularly focusing on the more contemporaneous HRT preparations, is warranted before evidence-based conclusions can be drawn.

The impact of a values affirmation intervention on body dissatisfaction and negative mood in women exposed to fitspiration

Fitspiration (fitness inspiration) exposure on Instagram has been associated with body dissatisfaction, but minimal research has investigated interventions to protect against its negative effects. Values affirmation interventions, in which individuals reflect on a higher value to affirm their sense of personal worth, could be helpful in this context. This online study’s aim was to examine the impact of a values affirmation intervention on body dissatisfaction and negative mood in women exposed to fitspiration images from Instagram. Participants consisted of 238 female college students (Age M = 19.89, SD = 1.25) in the U.S. who were randomized into three groups: Values Affirmation Intervention + Fitspiration (described importance of top value and viewed fitspiration images), Control Intervention + Fitspiration (described their daily activities and viewed fitspiration images), and Travel (control—viewed travel images only). State body dissatisfaction and negative mood were completed pre- and post-exposure for all groups. Body dissatisfaction and negative mood significantly increased in the Control Intervention + Fitspiration, did not change in the Values Affirmation Intervention + Fitspiration group, and decreased in the Travel group from pre-exposure to post-exposure. These findings suggest that a values affirmation intervention could partially protect college women from the negative effects of fitspiration exposure.

Sex And Habitual Water Intake Are Related To Dimensions Of Mood

Water intake has previously been linked to dimensions of mood and other cognitive performance. However, it is yet to be determined if the relationships are solely because of changes in water intake (i.e., moving from high to low-volume consumption) or if they can be linked to habitual intake. Furthermore, sex differences related to the effect of water on mood have yet to be outlined. PURPOSE: To assess for differences in mood-dimensions across fluid volume demarcations and biological sex using objective measures of habitual water intake. METHODS: 51 women (42 ± 14y, 164 ± 6 cm, 72.0 ± 16.6 kg) and 49 men (40 ± 13 y, 177 ± 7 cm, 81.5 ± 16.0 kg) took part in the current study over 8 days. Participants consumed 0.05 g⸱kgLBM-1 of deuterium oxide (2H2O) at baseline. Then, 2H2O urine enrichment was measured 1 and 7 days after to determine total body water turnover (WTO) by dilution method. Participants simultaneously completed food diaries which were used to calculate metabolic water production given participant weight stability. Total water intake (TWI) was calculated as WTO-metabolic water production. The profile of mood state survey (POMS) and a visual analog scale to measure alertness were completed on the second day of observation. Data were dichotomized by sex and divided into HIGH (4.5 ± 1.4, 4.7 ± 1.1 L⸱d-1), MOD (2.9 ± 0.2, 3.3 ± 0.2 L⸱d-1), and LOW (2.2 ± 0.2, 2.7 ± 0.3 L⸱d-1) TWI tertiles, for women and men, respectively. RESULTS: Alertness and Vigor were significantly greater within women in HIGH versus MOD and LOW (all P ≤ 0.027), while Depression was lower in HIGH compared to LOW (P = 0.015). There were no significant differences in any mood-dimensions between any male TWI groups (all P ≥ 0.124). After controlling for macronutrient intake and physical activity, follow-up regression modeling in women, identified that the addition of TWI produced a significant change in the F score of the models for Depression, Anxiety, Vigor, and Total Mood Disturbance (all P ≤ 0.043). CONCLUSION: Within this sample, increased habitual water consumption was related to more favorable dimensions of mood in women, but not men. The conflicting results between sexes may be because of a larger TWI range in women relative to lean body mass and/or differences in fluid handling as evidenced by prior reporting on the divergence of urine concentrations between sexes.

Effects of cognitive emotion regulation strategies on mood and cortisol in daily life in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

The psychological risk factors of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) are not fully understood, but initial evidence points to a potential role of unfavorable cognitive emotion regulation (ER-) strategies. Given the symptom cyclicity of PMDD, ambulatory assessment is ideally suited to capture psychological and physiological processes across the menstrual cycle. Our study examines habitual ER-strategies in women with PMDD and their predictive value for the course of mood and basal cortisol across the cycle in affected women. Women with and without PMDD (n = 61 each) were compared regarding habitual mindfulness, reappraisal, and repetitive negative thinking (RNT). Momentary affect and cortisol output were assessed over two consecutive days per cycle phase (menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, late luteal). Women with PMDD reported lower mindfulness, less use of reappraisal and stronger RNT than controls (ps < 0.035). In women with PMDD, higher mindfulness and reappraisal and lower RNT predicted decreased negative and increased positive affect across the menstrual cycle (ps < 0.027). However, women using more favorable ER-strategies displayed stronger mood cyclicity, resulting in stronger mood deterioration in the late luteal phase, thereby resembling women with more unfavorable ER-strategies toward the end of the cycle. Lower mindfulness predicted lower cortisol in the menstrual phase. Protective ER-strategies seem to be generally linked to better momentary mood in women with PMDD, but do not appear to protect affected women from premenstrual mood deterioration. Habitual mindfulness, in turn, seems to buffer blunted cortisol activity in women with PMDD, especially in the menstrual phase.

#Body goals or #Bopo? Exposure to pregnancy and post-partum related social media images: Effects on the body image and mood of women in the peri-pregnancy period

Women who are pregnant or have recently given birth use social media where they may encounter content promoting appearance ideals or offering more realistic representations of the body during this unique period. To date, little is known regarding the ways in which different social media content may impact the body image and mood of women who are pregnant or postpartum. A sample of 261 participants aged 21–44, mean (SD) age = 31.79 (4.402), were randomly allocated online to view either thin-and-toned ideal or body positive social media content specific to the pregnancy and postpartum period, or a neutral travel condition. Findings revealed that exposure to the body positive images had positive effects on body image relative to the thin-and-toned ideal condition, as well as leading to increases in some indices of positive body image, while the thin-ideal images were harmful. Partial support emerged for the protective roles of body appreciation and low social media-related rumination among women exposed to the thin-and-toned ideal images. Social media content may be harmful or helpful to the body image and mood of pregnant and postpartum women, which is important given the documented relationships between maternal body image, mood, and maternal and infant outcomes.

The effect of intranasal insulin on appetite and mood in women with and without obesity: an experimental medicine study

Background/ObjectivesIntranasal (IN) administration of insulin decreases appetite in humans, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear, and it is unknown whether IN insulin affects the food intake of women with obesity.Subjects/MethodsIn a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design, participants (35 lean women and 17 women with obesity) were randomized to receive 160 IU/1.6 mL of IN insulin or placebo in a counterbalanced order in the post prandial state. The effects of IN insulin on cookie intake, appetite, mood, food reward, cognition and neural activity were assessed.ResultsIN insulin in the post prandial state reduced cookie intake, appetite and food reward relative to placebo and these effects were more pronounced for women with obesity compared with lean women. IN insulin also improved mood in women with obesity. In both BMI groups, IN insulin increased neural activity in the insula when viewing food pictures. IN insulin did not affect cognitive function.ConclusionsThese results suggest that IN insulin decreases palatable food intake when satiated by reducing food reward and that women with obesity may be more sensitive to this effect than lean women. Further investigation of the therapeutic potential of IN insulin for weight management in women with obesity is warranted.

Who felt blue when Facebook went down? - The role of self-esteem and FoMO in explaining people's mood in reaction to social media outage

The global outage of leading social media (SM) platforms on October 4th, 2021, had a significant impact on users all over the world. This paper reports data from a study investigating the role of self-esteem and fear of missing out (FoMO) in explaining women's mood in reaction to the SM outage. The results indicate that both FoMO and self-esteem are linked to mood after interruption of access to SM. Moreover, FoMO fully mediates the relationship between self-esteem and mood in reaction to SM outage.

Intranasal oxytocin administration improves mood in new mothers with moderate low mood but not in mothers with elevated symptoms of postnatal depression: A randomised controlled trial

Background: Oxytocin (OT) is a neuropeptide hormone that has anxiolytic and antidepressant effects, and positive effects on social affiliation and behaviour, particularly in parenting and attachment relationships. In women with postnatal depression (PND), each of these are reduced. This study investigated if OT administration reduces low mood in new mothers with PND and across the low mood spectrum. Design: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised controlled-trial, within-subjects, cross-over design was conducted. Participants: Mothers (N = 58) between 3 and 9 months postpartum. Participants were screened for traits of PND on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and assigned into 2 groups: probable PND cases (N = 26, scoring ≥9) and controls (N = 32, scoring ≤9). Method: Participants rated their current mood on the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) at Baseline (before nasal administration), Condition 1 (after first OT/Placebo administration) and Condition 2 (after second OT/Placebo administration). Results: OT administration did not affect mood in women with PND scores above the cut-off point but significantly reduced negative mood in those scoring below the cut-off point. To explore if a subgroup was driving this, we compared participants with mild, moderate and severe scores on the EPDS. OT administration significantly reduced negative mood in women with moderate low mood scores on the EPDS. Limitations: PND was assessed by the EPDS, rather than a clinical diagnosis. Conclusion: These results illustrate individual differences in response to OT administration and suggest that OT administration may offer treatment benefit to new mothers who report moderate sub-clinical levels of depression.

Impact of Unbalanced Diet Causing Hormone Imbalance in the Middle-Aged Women

Hormones perform a crucial role in women's health. Variations in hormone levels (estrogen and progesterone) can negatively affect women's mood, sexual desire, ovulation process, and fertility. A balanced and healthy diet has a major influence on various hormonal processes and facets of our wellbeing. There are multiple factors related to diets, such as food sensitivity leading to allergic reactions, obesity, inflammation from inadequate diet and sedentary lifestyles, sleep habits, digestion, and others. All these factors contribute to hormonal imbalances and associated complications. Diet-derived circulating constituents can perform immediate and indirect actions for receptor activation, signalling, and supplying micronutrients.

Resilience, Perceived Stress, and Depressed Mood in Women Under in Vitro Fertilization Treatment

It has been suggested that women who display higher resilience levels may have less psychological distress during IVF. The aim of this study was to evaluate how infertile women deal with perceived stress, depressed mood, and sleep disturbances at the first IVF attempt and after one or more negative IVF outcomes depending on their level of resilience. An observational, cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 207 infertile women undergoing IVF procedures. The participants completed the short version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the short version of the European Spanish Version of Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10), and the Jenkins Sleep Scale (JSS). The relationship between CD-RISC scores ranked according to percentiles and mean PSS-10 scores revealed that women with strong resilience had lower perceived stress. After splitting the sample according to CD-RISC percentiles, differences were observed only at the first IVF attempt and the observed protective effect of high resilience scores appears to disappear following a negative IVF outcome. Women with high resilience are less likely to suffer from perceived stress or depressed mood during their first IVF attempt, this protective effect appears to be lost after a negative outcome.