ABSTRACT
Since in vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most complex, expensive, and invasive form of infertility treatment, and is frequently considered the treatment of last resort for many patients, it should come as no surprise that many IVF patients report significant levels of distress. In fact, infertility patients undergoing IVF experience diagnostic procedures and treatment as more of a psychologic than physical stressor.1
Depressive symptoms are common in IVF patients, even prior to treatment, probably reflecting the psychologic toll of repeated unsuccessful forms of treatment leading to the need for IVF. For example, Demyttenaere et al. evaluated 98 women participating in an IVF program.2 Prior to initiating a cycle, 54.1% of their patients reported mild depressive symptoms, and 19.4% had moderate to severe symptomatology. Not surprisingly, women undergoing ART consistently report higher levels of distress than their husbands, with a greater disruption of work and leisure time.3 In a study of 200 couples being evaluated for acceptance into an IVF program,4 48% of the women, in contrast to 15% of the men, reported that infertility was the most upsetting experience of their lives. Although anxiety levels do not rise with subsequent treatment cycles,5 depression levels do.6 In addition, female IVF patients report steadily increasing depression scores within each cycle: distress levels tend to peak during the waiting period between the embryo transfer and the pregnancy test.7
