Emotional Disorders (EDs) are common in women who undergo fertility treatments. The Unified Protocol (UP) is a transdiagnostic intervention that has demonstrated efficacy in preventing EDs under different health conditions. The aim of this pilot study is to: 1) improve emotional dysregulation for the prevention of anxiety and depressive symptoms in women undergoing intrauterine inseminations (IUI); 2) assess their acceptability (e.g., satisfaction and adherence rates). Method: Five women undergoing IUI, with no clinical diagnoses, responded to measures of mood (anxiety and depression), affect, quality of life and emotional dysregulation in the pre- and post-assessments, and at the 1-, 3- and 6-month follow-ups. The UP was adapted to be applied during six face-to-face group sessions lasting 2 h. The COVID-19 pandemic situation implied changing to an online format to end the program. Results: The results showed that women did not develop EDs, and no statistically significant pre-post and pre-follow-up differences were found for anxiety, depression, quality of life and emotional dysregulation (all p > .050). A tendency towards improvement in the post-assessment evaluation was noted. Satisfaction with the format and UP program was high. Conclusions: It would seem that programs focusing on therapeutic common factors like the UP could have an emotional preventive effect during IUI. Los trastornos emocionales (TE) son frecuentes durante los tratamientos de fertilidad. El Protocolo Unificado (PU) es una intervención transdiagnóstica que ha demostrado su eficacia en la prevención de TE en condiciones médicas. El objetivo de este estudio piloto es: 1) mejorar la disregulación emocional para prevenir síntomas ansiosos y depresivos en mujeres en tratamiento de inseminación artificial (IA); 2) evaluar la aceptabilidad (satisfacción y adherencia). Método: 5 mujeres en tratamiento de IA, sin diagnóstico clínico, respondieron a medidas de estado de ánimo (ansiedad y depresión), afecto, calidad de vida y regulación emocional en el pre- y post-evaluación, y en los seguimientos a los 1, 3 y 6 meses. La adaptación preventiva del PU se basó en la aplicación de 6 sesiones presenciales grupales de 2 horas de duración. La situación generada por la COVID-19 provocó el cambio al formato online para finalizar el programa. Resultados: las mujeres no desarrollaron TE, no se encontraron diferencias pre-post y pre-seguimientos estadísticamente significativas en ansiedad, depresión, calidad de vida y disregulación emocional (p > .050). Se observa una tendencia a la mejoría en la evaluación post-programa. Conclusiones: Parece que programas como el PU, centrado en factores terapéuticos compartidos, ha tenido un efecto emocional preventivo durante IA.

This case study aims to present the application of the Unified Protocol (UP) for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in the case of a 38-year-old pregnant woman with a peripartum onset of major depressive disorder and anxiety symptoms. The UP is a cognitive-behavioral intervention based on the shared etiological and maintenance mechanisms of emotional disorders (i.e., mood, anxiety, and related disorders). The UP helps to modify maladaptive emotion-regulation strategies and enhance tolerance of unpleasant and intense emotions (sadness, anxiety, anger, etc.). Whereas previous studies demonstrate the efficacy of the UP in different emotional disorders, to our knowledge, none of them have used the UP to treat perinatal emotional disorders. After the eight UP modules of individual treatment, a significant decrease in anxiety, depression, negative affect, and anxiety sensitivity, and also an increase in positive affect were observed. These results were maintained at the 12-month follow-up. In addition to its clinical utility and acceptance, these results indicate that the UP can be adapted and personalized for the treatment of perinatal emotional disorders. Future studies with larger samples and controlled experimental designs should be developed to demonstrate its efficacy. Furthermore, as the UP seems to be useful in a group format, future efforts should be focused on the UP with perinatal women in a group format.