Psychopathology, personality, and marital relationship in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization procedures

P Salvatore; S Gariboldi; A Offidani; F Coppola; M Amore; C Maggini

doi:10.1016/s0015-0282(01)01775-7

Mental Health and Psychosocial Care · Infertility Distress

Psychopathology, personality, and marital relationship in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization procedures

Salvatore P, Gariboldi S, Offidani A, Coppola F, Amore M, Maggini C

Published June 2001 Fertility and Sterility, 75(6), 1119-1125

DOI 10.1016/s0015-0282(01)01775-7 PMID 11384636

Abstract

Objective

To compare the psychopathology, personality features, and marital relationships of women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) with those of control patients, and to compare IVF inductees with program veterans.

Design

Cross-sectional clinical study.

Setting

A university hospital.

Patients

One hundred and one women undergoing IVF treatment.

Interventions

Psychometric tests were administered at first visit (baseline) of index treatment cycle.

Main Outcome Measures

Achievement of pregnancy.

Results

Women undergoing IVF show higher levels of anxiety and emotional tension than do controls. Although the infertile women showed no abnormal personality dimensions, the IVF group did have a particular psychological profile and a different marital relationship pattern when compared with the control participants. Between IVF veterans and inductees, there are significant differences with respect to psychopathology, psychological dimensions, and couple dynamics. The achievement of pregnancy is not associated with any special psychopathological, personality, or marital characteristics among the IVF women.

Conclusions

The most crucial period in IVF procedures may immediately follow the end of the first cycle because of the high risk of patients dropping out of the program. To determine the most effective supporting therapies for women undergoing fertilization procedures it could be useful to consider the psychological and relational differences between veterans and inductees.

Topics

Mental Health and Psychosocial Care Infertility Distress Anxiety and Depression in Infertility

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Mental Health and Psychosocial Care › Infertility Distress › Anxiety and Depression in Infertility

PMID 11384636 11384636 DOI 10.1016/s0015-0282(01)01775-7 10.1016/s0015-0282(01)01775-7 Salvatore et al. 2001, Salvatore 2001

Cite this article

Salvatore, P., Gariboldi, S., Offidani, A., Coppola, F., Amore, M., & Maggini, C. (2001). Psychopathology, personality, and marital relationship in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization procedures. Fertility and sterility, 75(6), 1119-1125. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0015-0282(01)01775-7

Keywords

Adult, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Fertilization in Vitro/psychology, Humans, Italy, Marriage, Mental Disorders/epidemiology, Personality, Prevalence, Psychometrics/methods