Stress In Infertile Women Research Articles

The beneficial influences of vitamin D intake on inflammation and oxidative stress in infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Oxidative stress and inflammation play a vital function in the pathophysiology of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and infertility. The aim of this work was to control the impacts of vitamin D intake on metabolic profiles in infertile subjects with PCOS. This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was carried out among 40 infertile women with PCOS. Subjects were randomly divided into two intervention groups to take either 50000 IU vitamin D (n=20) or placebo (n=20) weekly for 8 weeks. Metabolic profiles and few inflammatory cytokines expression evaluated on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of participants, using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. Vitamin D intake decreased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (-0.9±1.1 vs. 0.3±0.9mg/l, P=0.002) and elevated total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels (49.2±60.2 vs. -50.6±161.8mmol/l, P=0.02) compared with placebo; but no significant effects on other metabolic parameters were observed. Moreover, a significant downregulation of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) expression (P=0.03) was observed after taking vitamin D compared with the placebo. Overall, vitamin D intake for eight weeks had beneficial impacts on hs-CRP, TAC, and TNF-α among infertile women with PCOS.

The Stigma and Infertility-Related Stress of Chinese Infertile Women: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study was conducted to investigate the stigma status of infertile women in China and to determine the influencing factors. 366 infertile women from the gynecological and reproductive departments of two tertiary hospitals completed socio-demographic questionnaires, the Infertility Stigma Scale (ISS) and the Mandarin Fertility Problem Inventory (M-FPI). The scores of stigma and infertility-related stress in infertile women were (52.51 ± 17.74) and (150.03 ± 17.51), respectively. Multiple regression analysis found that location of residence, regarding children as the most important thing in life, talking to others about infertility and infertility-related stress were the main influencing factors of stigma in infertile women, which explained 17.3% of the total variance. In the current study, the level of stigma in women with infertility was at the middle range. Location of residence, regarding children as the most important thing in life, whether to talk with others about infertility and infertility-related stress were the four main influencing factors of stigma.

Investigating the Effectiveness of Positive-thinking-based Poetry Therapy on Infertility Stress and Psychological Well-being in Infertile Women

Background: Infertility is a global problem that leads to psychological complications. Studies show that the psychological damage caused by infertility is far greater in women compared to men. Infertility reduces psychological well-being and causes infertility stress in infertile women. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of positive-thinking-based poetry therapy on infertility stress and psychological well-being in infertile women. Methods: This quasi-experimental research was conducted with a pre-test, post-test design and a control group. The statistical population included all infertile women. The sample size consisted of 46 women who were selected via the convenience sampling method. They were randomly assigned to experimental (n=23) and control groups (n=23). The experimental group received the package of positive-thinking-based poetry therapy which was compiled by the researchers, for eight 90-min sessions. The data was collected using the infertility stress questionnaire and the psychological well-being scale. The data were analyzed using multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance via the SPSS software, version 22. Results: The multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance results showed that positive-thinking-based poetry therapy has a positive and significant effect on improving infertility stress psychological and well-being in infertile women (P<0.05). Conclusion: According to the results, the change in mental attitude and emergence of positive emotions caused by the intervention of positive-thinking-based poetry therapy improved the infertility stress and psychological well-being of infertile women.

The effects of selenium supplementation on glycemic control, serum lipoproteins and biomarkers of oxidative stress in infertile women diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing invitro fertilization: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of selenium consumption on metabolic profile among infertile females diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The current randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted among 40 infertile females with PCOS aged between 18 and 40 years. Patients were randomly allocated to two groups of intervention to receive selenium supplements (200μg/day) or placebo (starch). Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention. Selenium administration significantly decreased fasting glucose (P=0.03), homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (P=0.007) and fasting insulin levels (P=0.006), and elevated quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (P<0.001). In addition, selenium supplementation significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (P=0.006). We did not observe any significant effect of selenium supplementation on pregnancy rate, lipid profiles, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total glutathione (GSH) levels. Overall, our study demonstrated that selenium supplementation for 8 weeks in infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing IVF had beneficial effects on glycemic control and MDA levels, but did not affect pregnancy rate, lipid profiles, TAC and GSH levels. This trial was registered at www.irct.ir as http://www.irct.ir: IRCT201701025623N100.

Relationship of Self-Compassion with Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in Infertile Women

Purpose: Infertile women have a higher rate of psychiatric symptoms compared to fertile women. Depression and anxiety are among the most common psychiatric disorders in this group. Self-compassion might be a variable in predicting depression, anxiety and stress in infertile women and thus more research is required. Methods: This study included a total number of 122 participants. The study group (n=50) consisted women who applied to the gynaecology and obstetrics clinic for infertility treatment. The control group (n=72) was recruited from hospital staff and their relatives, of the similar age and gender as the study group. The participants filled Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in addition to sociodemographic data form. Results: The mean age of the study and control group were 31.50±5.104 and 31.86±7.681 years, respectively. The mean duration of infertility treatment in the study group was 5.48±5.023 months. SCS scores were significantly lower, and HADS scores (both depression and anxiety) were significantly higher in the study group, compared to the control group. There was a negative correlation between SCS and HADS scores (p 0.05). Conclusion: It is crucial to screen infertile women for psychiatric symptoms, especially anxiety and depression. Patients with these symptoms should be referred to a mental health professional. Interventions targeting psychological well-being of infertile women are fundamental. Self-compassion is an influential factor in maintaining psychological well-being and preventing anxiety and depressive symptoms in infertile women.

Factors Influencing Fertility Stress in Infertile Women

Factors Influencing Fertility Stress in Infertile Women

The effect of online motivational interviewing on stress management in infertile women with PCOS: A randomized clinical trial

IntroductionPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders in women, which in addition to medical aspects also affects the dimensions of women’s mental health such as stress.ObjectivesThe present study was conducted to determine The effect of online motivational interviewing on stress management in infertile women with PCOSMethodsThis randomized controlled clinical trial enrolled 60 Infertile Women with PCOS from the city of Sari-Iran in 2020. Participants were assigned to MI and control groups using block randomization. The intervention group received 5 weekly of MI online via WhatsApp. While the control group received only routine care. Stress management scores in these individuals were measured using health-promoting lifestyle profile II questionnaire (HPLP II) before and after the intervention. Then, the data were entered into the SPSS software, version 25 and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, t-test, and repeated measures analysis of variance.ResultsNo significant difference was observed between the two groups before the intervention mean The Stress management scores (p&gt;0.05). After the intervention, mean (SD) of The Psychological Domains score was 22.5 (3.8) in the intervention group and 17.9 (4.1) in the control. The Stress management score was significantly upper in the intervention group compared to the control. (p&lt;0.000). The effect size (1.1) was calculated. NNT (1.6) was calculated.ConclusionsAccording to the results and the effect of motivational interviewing is one of the effective methods to manage stress in infertile women with PCOS.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

The Effect of Counseling on Stress in Infertile Women Admitted to an Infertility Center in Hamadan City, Iran

Background: Infertility can result in many problems for couples. In most cases, the stress and anxiety of treating infertility can reduce fertility and affect marital disputes. The provision of counseling and informing can reduce stress and improve couples’ relationships and positively influence infertility treatment in many cases. The present study, therefore, was conducted to evaluate the effect of counseling on the stress of infertile women admitted to an infertility center in Hamadan City, Iran. Methods: The present study was performed as a two-group randomized clinical trial with two pretest and posttest stages on 104 eligible women admitted to Fatemieh Hospital in Hamadan during 2017-18. Members of the intervention group received group counseling with a cognitive-behavioral approach to stress reduction in four 1-h sessions during the 4 weeks. Data were obtained using demographic characteristics and Harry’s Stress Assessment questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21 software, paired and independent t-test, and analysis of covariance at a significance level of &lt; 0.05. Results: Mean stress scores were 181.82 ± 15.9 and 189.11 ± 2.1 in the pre-intervention stage, and 174.6 ± 29.6 and in the test group 78.10 ± 1.3 in the post-intervention phase in the test and control groups, respectively. High-stress levels were observed in both groups before the intervention. Independent t-test revealed that mean stress scores were significantly different in the two groups at both pre- and post-intervention stages (P &lt; 0.05). The paired t-test indicated a significantly reduced stress score in the intervention group (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: Stress management counseling in infertile women can play a positive and effective role in stress mitigation and promotion of their mental health. Therefore, the effect of this counseling can be more reliably emphasized on improving the effectiveness of infertility treatment.

The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Group Therapy on Anxiety, Depression, Stress, and the Intolerance of Uncertainty in Infertile Women

Objectives: The present study aimed to examine the effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) group therapy on anxiety, depression, stress, and the Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) in infertile women receiving In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Methods: This was a randomized clinical trial with a pre-test/post-test and 3-month follow-up design. The study sample included 30 women with infertility who referred to Taleghani Hospital in Tehran City, Iran in 2018. We enrolled 30 individuals in the present study. The study samples were randomly divided into two groups of experimental and control (n=15/group). All study participants completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), and the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS) before and after providing the intervention. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS. Results: The current research results revealed a significant difference between the MBSR and control groups in IU, stress, depression, and anxiety. Furthermore, there were significant differences in all dependent variables between pre-test and post-test scores except for IU in the experimental group. Discussion: The provided MBSR group therapy could reduce the rate of depression, anxiety, and stress in infertile women receiving IVF; however, it presented no significant effect on IU. In other words, IU may be a complex phenomenon, i.e. amenable to treatment and further studies are required to examine its reasons.

Pomegranate Juice Effect on Oxidative Stress in Infertile Women During IVF Treatment

Pomegranate Juice Effect on Oxidative Stress in Infertile Women During IVF Treatment

The effect of yoga on stress level in infertile women.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of planned yoga practices on stress levels in infertile women. This randomized controlled study included 128 volunteer women who were registered at a private in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinic and received infertility treatment. The patients in the experimental group took part in the yoga program twice a week for 6 weeks. A personal information form and The Copenhagen Multi-center Psychosocial Infertility (COMPI) Fertility Problem Stress Scale were used to collect data. The differences between the mean scores of the control and experimental groups on the COMPI Fertility Problem Stress Scale at pre- and posttests were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Because yoga practices may be effective in reducing stress in infertile women, these applications can be performed before treatment. It may reduce patients' stress and increase the success of the treatment. These findings indicate that yoga could reduce stress levels in infertile women.

A Biochemical Approach to Detect Oxidative Stress in Infertile Women Undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology Procedures.

Oxidative stress plays a major role in critical biological processes in human reproduction. However, a reliable and biologically accurate indicator of this condition does not yet exist. On these bases, the aim of this study was to assess and compare the blood and follicular fluid (FF) redox status of 45 infertile subjects (and 45 age-matched controls) undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), and explore possible relationships between the assessed redox parameters and IVF outcomes. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production, assessed by flow cytometry analysis in blood leukocytes and granulosa cells, significantly increased (p < 0.05) in infertile patients. Also, oxidative stress markers—ThioBarbituric Acid-Reactive Substances (TBARS) as an index of lipid peroxidation, and Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) to account for total antioxidant capacity, both assayed by fluorometric procedures—in blood and FF were significantly (p < 0.001) modified in infertile patients compared to the control group. Moreover, a significant correlation between blood redox markers and FF redox markers was evident. An ORAC/TBARS ratio, defined as the redox index (RI), was obtained in the plasma and FF of the patients and controls. In the patients, the plasma RI was about 3.4-fold (p < 0.0001) lower than the control, and the FF RI was about six-fold (p < 0.0001) lower than the control. Interestingly, both the plasma RI and FF RI results were significantly correlated (p < 0.05) to the considered outcome parameters (metaphase II, fertilization rate, and ongoing pregnancies). Given the reported findings, a strict monitoring of redox parameters in assisted reproductive techniques and infertility management is recommended.

Counseling-supportive interventions to decrease infertile women's perceived stress: A systematic review.

BackgroundInfertility all around the world and in every culture is recognized as a stressful and critical experience that threatens individual, familial, marital, and social stability. Thus, in accordance with the importance of a woman’s mental health and the possible impact of mental health on treatment outcome, finding a way to deal with perceived stress in women can help improve pregnancy outcomes.MethodsThis study is a systematic review on reducing perceived infertility stress in infertile women. The current study was undertaken using multiple databases such as SID, Irandoc, Magi ran, Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Cochrane library, and CINAHL selected from articles pertinent to the study. The selection of papers was undertaken from 1990 through May 2016. The methodological quality was assessed.ResultsThe initial search yielded a list of 725 papers, and then reviewers studied titles and abstracts. Thereafter, 68 papers were incorporated, and researchers reviewed summaries of all of the searched articles. Finally, the researchers utilized the data gained from 29 full articles so as to compile this review paper. Reviewing the studies conducted on reducing infertility perceived stress, the researchers classified related findings into two main categories: supportive and counseling intervention.ConclusionConsidering the fact that there is an international agreement that fertility centers need to offer counseling programs for psychological problems of the infertile, it is especially important to recognize counseling-supportive interventions for decreasing infertile women’s perceived stress and to program plans for decreasing women’s perceived stress. By investigating counseling-supportive stress, we hope that this study has stepped forward toward health care agent’s familiarity with decreasing infertile women’s perceived stress and, therefore, improving treatment consequences.

Augmented oxidative stress in infertile women with persistent chlamydial infection

There is established association between oxidative stress, infections of genital tract and fertility. Genital tract infections may provoke increased production of free radicals and generate oxidative stress that can be involved in pathophysiology of a number of reproductive diseases and complications during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to determine connection between oxidative stress and infertility associated with persistent chlamydial infection. Serum samples of infertile women with tubal factor infertility (TFI), women with multiple spontaneous abortions (MSA) and fertile women was screened for C. trachomatis MOMP specific IgG and IgA antibodies and cHSP60 specific igG antibodies using ELISA. The levels of superoxide anion radical, nitric oxide and reduced glutathione were determined spectrophotometricaly. Serum levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone were determined by enzyme-linked fluorescent immunoassay method. Our results showed that persistent infection was more prevalent in TFI than in MSA group, whereas seropositivity was higher in MSA than in TFI group of patients. We also found that superoxide anion was significantly lower, while LH was markedly higher in TFI and MSA group of patients. However, when our results were analyzed according to the serological status of chlamydial infection, we found that parameters of oxidative stress, superoxide anion and index of oxidative stress, defined as relative ratio between superoxide anion and nitrites sum and glutathione ((O2−+NO2−)/GSH) were significantly elevated in infertile patients with persistent chlamydial infection compared to seropositive and seronegative patients. Our findings point to the possible impact of Chlamydia trachomatis infection on prooxidative-antioxidative balance that can influence fertility potential in women with persistent chlamydial infection.

The Investigation Holistis Stress In Infertile Women and Relation To Demographic Characteristics In Women Who Referred To Yazd Infertility Center

Aim: Investigation holistic Stress in infertile women and relation to demographic Characteristics in women who referred to Yazd infertility center by cross sectional descrpitive study. Methods: This study was carried on 400 infertile women who referred to Yazd Infertility Center between 2013-2014. These participants were selected by purposive sampling method. Data were collected using demographic characteristics' questionnaire, Coudron Stress Test and Perceived Stress Test. Relation between demographic variables and stress obtained from Inferential statistics. Results: Mean score of perceived stress and all level of life, personality and health stress is higher than other causes, when the causes is related to common causes, but there are not any significant difference between them. There are significant difference in stress mean score from duration of infertility. (p 0.05). Conclusion: Results highlights infertility has a significant impact on the infertile women's mental health. It is important psychological approach consider as an important part of treatment inside other medical treatments.

Systemic and follicular oxidative stress in infertile women with endometriosis undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation for ICSI: is there a role in the etiopathogenesis of infertility?

Controversial studies have suggested that impaired oocyte quality and oxidative stress (OS) may be involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis-related infertility. No study to date has evaluated jointly different pro and antioxidant markers in serum and follicular fluid (FF) of women with endometriosis-related infertility. The aim of the study was to compare eight OS markers in serum and FF of infertile women with and without endometriosis (E) undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Serum markers of oxidative stress in infertile women with endometriosis and controls

OBJECTIVE: Oxidative stress (OS) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of infertility related to endometriosis.Little is known about the presence of systemic OS and its relationship with the stage of endometriosis. Thus, we compared five OS markers in the serum of infertile women with and without endometriosis.

Stress and stress-related hormones during in-vitro fertilization treatment.

Whether stress and infertility are linked as cause or consequence is unclear, and there is no consensus on the most appropriate methods for measuring stress in infertile women. To address this question, we measured changes in biochemical and questionnaire-based assessments of stress in infertile women. Median baseline, follicular phase and pre-operative serum prolactin (229, 311 and 457 mIU/l) cortisol (278, 369 and 496 nmol/l) and state anxiety score (38, 40 and 49) respectively all increased during stimulated in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. There was no such increase in a control group having similar laparoscopic surgery unrelated to infertility, or in women having unstimulated IVF without laparoscopy, suggesting that anxiety levels are greatest in stimulated IVF, increase as a result of the treatment, and are adequately reflected by state anxiety scores. Baseline serum prolactin in unstimulated IVF (384 mIU/l) was significantly higher than control (177 mIU/l), although this was not reflected in serum cortisol or state anxiety score. Trait anxiety was constant within and between groups, suggesting that stress is not contributing greatly to the infertility. Women who achieved a pregnancy had similar state anxiety scores to those who failed, suggesting that the degree of anxiety observed during IVF treatment is unlikely to influence the chance of pregnancy. There was a trend towards lower trait anxiety in women who became pregnant, but the numbers were small.