Stress in couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology - PubMed (original) (raw)

. 2020 Jun;301(6):1561-1567.

doi: 10.1007/s00404-020-05549-8. Epub 2020 Apr 28.

Affiliations

• PMID: 32347354
• DOI: 10.1007/s00404-020-05549-8

Stress in couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology

Gorkem Tuncay et al. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2020 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the associations between pre-treatment self-reported stress level, salivary cortisol levels, and clinical pregnancy outcome in couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatment (ART).

Study design: Seventy-five couples (150 patients) undergoing ART treatment were enrolled in this study. Psychological variables were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory. Salivary cortisol levels were obtained from each couple prior to commencing gonadotropin treatment at several times (upon waking and at 15, 30, and 60 min after waking).

Results: There was no statistically significant association between the self-reported stress levels and the ART treatment outcome in couples. Women with a successful outcome after ART treatment had higher median salivary cortisol levels than women who had an unsuccessful result [24.7 (19.9-63.1) vs. 20.7 (10.4-30.4), respectively]. There was no statistically significant difference in the median salivary cortisol levels of men in relation to ART treatment outcome. Salivary cortisol levels of the couples were not correlated.

Conclusions: Women who had higher median salivary cortisol levels in the pre-treatment period had a higher clinical pregnancy rate. This result suggests that moderately increased activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis during ART treatment might be associated with successful conception.

Keywords: Assisted reproductive technology; Psychology; Salivary cortisol; Stress.

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Comment in

• Letter to the editor related to the article "stress in couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology" published by Tuncay et al.
  Ahmad MF, Sidi H, Das S. Ahmad MF, et al. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2021 Mar;303(3):853-854. doi: 10.1007/s00404-020-05756-3. Epub 2020 Sep 2. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2021. PMID: 32876742 No abstract available.
• Reply to "Letter to the editor related to the article "Stress in couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology"".
  Tuncay G, Karaer A. Tuncay G, et al. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2021 Mar;303(3):855-856. doi: 10.1007/s00404-020-05781-2. Epub 2020 Sep 10. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2021. PMID: 32910215 No abstract available.

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