Effectiveness of psychosocial group intervention for reducing anxiety in women undergoing in vitro fertilization: a randomized controlled study

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of the Eastern Body-Mind-Spirit (EBMS) group intervention on anxiety-reduction of Chinese women undergoing IVF.

Design: Randomized controlled study.

Setting: Tertiary assisted reproduction unit.

Participant(s): Two hundred twenty-seven women undergoing their first cycle of IVF treatment.

Intervention(s): The intervention group (n = 69) received four sessions of EBMS group counseling, while the control group (n = 115) did not receive any intervention.

Main outcome measure(s): State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.

Result(s): Compared with the control group, the intervention group had a significant drop in State Anxiety mean score following intervention. A comparable number of embryos were transferred for each group, but there was a nonsignificant trend of a higher pregnancy rate in the intervention group.

Conclusion(s): The Eastern Body-Mind-Spirit group intervention approach effectively reduces the anxiety level of women undergoing IVF treatment.