Women coping strategies to infertility stress can impact IVF outcome EV1357]

Abstract

Infertility is defined as a failure to achieve a pregnancy after a woman has attempted to get pregnant for more than 12 months. The impact of psychosocial factors on IVF outcome is a growing field of research. This is the first study estimating the impact of psychosocial stress and women coping on IVF outcome in Serbia. In the cohort of Serbian women, it has been remarked that they predominantly use active confronting coping style. We found statistically significant differences ways of coping styles between pregnant and non-pregnant group. Women from the pregnant group had significantly lower scores of marital distress, and significantly higher use of meaning based coping styles. It is found that the use of active avoidance coping correlates negatively with the level of depression and personal, marital and social distress, and total fertility distress. Clinicians should be aware that infertility is a stressor itself and that coping strategies can influence IVF outcome. Therefore, psychosocial assessment should be a part of an IVF unit.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.