Mental health and IVF
“It has been observed that many people – couples who start the process of in vitro fertilization show great discomfort and high rates of anxiety, depression and stress.
While many couples experience severe mental discomfort due to infertility, the process of medically assisted reproduction alone seems to be associated with feelings of anxiety, depression and anger.”
A lot of studies have investigated the impact of IVF on a person’s psychological state, with several focusing on the higher levels of depression, low self-esteem and low self-confidence that these women had compared to a control group that was not in IVF.
In addition, people who are in the process of in vitro fertilization may experience relationship problems, sexual dysfunction and social isolation. Furthermore, stigma, low self-esteem and the feeling of loss or inadequacy often emerge in the process.
“Moreover, a great deal of research has focused on the impact of a failed IVF on a person’s mental health”
The results show that in many similar cases the person’s self-esteem decreases even more, while the levels of depressed mood seem to increase.
Ongoing IVF seems to exacerbate depressive symptoms, and research has shown that a significant number of people withdraw from IVF due to psychological factors.
MENTAL HEALTH
Scientific Dialogue
In the scientific dialogue regarding the connection between mental health and in vitro fertilization, it is often mentioned that the result of in vitro fertilization may also be influenced by psychological factors.
Various studies have examined the stress and mood of the individual as predictors of the outcome of a medically assisted reproduction. The majority of research suggests that the experience of strongly negative emotions (e.g. anxiety, sadness) is associated with lower pregnancy rates (Demytenaere 1998, Smeenk 2001).
Therefore, considering the number of different emotions that a person may experience during the various stages of IVF and their possible consequences, it is concluded that the psychological support and guidance of the individual during the process is important.
In fact, there are several studies that have focused on the positive effects of psychotherapy and counseling regarding the reduction of stress and depressive symptoms in the fertility treatment.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9627288/
https://womensmentalhealth.org/specialty-clinics/infertility-and-mental-health/