The Association of Anxiety and Perceived Stress with In vitro Fertilization Outcomes in Infertile Women: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Background: The studies have shown that the effects of psychological distress on the outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment are unclear, and there is still no conclusive empirical evidence that lower anxiety levels lead to better outcomes in assisted reproductive technique treatments.

Aim: the present study was conducted to investigate the impact of perceived anxiety and stress on the outcome of IVF in infertile women in Western Iran.

Settings and design: The current study is a cross-sectional study.

Materials and methods: This study was conducted on infertile women who were candidates for IVF and visited the infertility center at Fatemiyeh Hospital in Hamadan City in the west of Iran from 8 July 2023, to 15 March 2024. The questionnaires were demographic and midwifery characteristics, the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Perceived Stress Scale-14.

Statistical analysis used: All statistical analyses were performed in SPSS software at a significance level of 0.05.

Results: The stress was significantly associated with metaphase II eggs (r = -0.487), and the number of transferred embryos based on grade (r = -0.562), duration of marriage (r = 0.628), duration of infertility (r = 0.595) and duration of treatment (r = 0.595). There was no significant association between stress and endometrial thickness (P = 0.189). In addition, the anxiety was significantly associated with age (r = 0.509), husband›s age (r = 0.436), endometrial thickness (r = -0.173), metaphase II eggs (r = -0.570), and the number of ‎transferred embryos based on grade (r = -0.610), duration of marriage (r = 0.604), duration of infertility (r = 0.592) and duration of treatment (r = 0.604).

Conclusion: Mean stress and anxiety in infertile women were significantly lower in infertile women with successful IVF. Stress was significantly associated with age, spouse's age, metaphase stage oocytes, embryo grade, duration of marriage and infertility and duration of treatment.

Keywords: Anxiety; Iran; in vitro fertilization; stress.