The influence of emotional distress on the outcome of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and/or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment among infertile Turkish women

Background: To determine whether the emotional distress of infertile Turkish women is related to social support and influences the outcome of their IVF and/or ICSI treatment. Methods: The Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Social Support scales were administered to 104 primary infertile Turkish women before the date of their embryo transfer. Comparisons were made between the women who became pregnant and those who did not following the embryo transfer. Results: Compared to the pregnant women, the non-pregnant women had a greater number of emotional symptoms despite similar levels of social support. Also, the increased severity of depressive symptoms and higher levels of anxiety were predictive of low pregnancy rates. Conclusion: The pregnancy rate of infertile Turkish women was associated with emotional distress and low levels of social support were associated with increased emotional distress. Further research is needed to determine the factors and mechanisms that contribute to emotional distress in the treatment of infertility.