Personality characteristics, psychoendocrinological stress and outcome of IVF depend upon the etiology of infertility

Abstract

Personality characteristics, psychoendocrinological stress responses and course and outcome of treatment were investigated in 40 women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). In addition to classification by the major causes of infertility (mechanical infertility or male infertility), the subjects were also divided in two subgroups of 17 women with completely 'normal' menstrual cycles and 23 women with subtle disturbances of their menstrual cycle. These disturbances were due to either minimal endometriosis, luteinized unruptured follicle (LUF) syndrome or luteal phase insufficiency. Women with subtle cycle disturbances have been shown to have a lower pregnancy rate in IVF than women with normal cycles. The correlation of the state anxiety level of the patient in the early follicular phase with negative outcome in IVF is seen to be higher in women with subtle cycle disturbances. Furthermore, prolactin concentrations are always higher in women with subtle cycle disturbances. Our data contribute to the hypothesis that subtle cycle disturbances, i.e. LUF syndrome, luteal phase insufficiency and endometriosis, could be associated with higher psychoendocrinological stress levels.

Changes in affect and state anxiety across an in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle

“…It consists of 20 items, scored on a four-point Likert-type scale, with higher scores indicating greater anxiety (15). It has satisfactory reliability and validity and has been previously used with infertile patients (3,5,16).…”

Chronic Pelvic Pain as a Somatoform Disorder

“…In these patients a lack of correlation between the occurrence and extent of endometriosis and described pain has also been reported and a prevalence of endometriosis rates up to 22% in asymptomatic women [49][50][51]. Animal and human studies on endometriosis indicate that psychosocial stress may promote the occurrence of endometriosis [52][53][54]. Psychopathologically, these patients show elevated scores of somatization and depression [55,56].…”

Effect of Occupational Exposures on Male Fertility: Literature Review

“…From the physiological point of view there is a connection between psychological stress and levels of cortisol, prolactin, progesterone and testosterone 46) . Psychological stress can represent part of the etiology of infertility [Psychogenic Hypothesis], and can also be a result of the infertility itself [Psychological Consequences Hypothesis].…”