Anxiety and depressive symptoms, and stress biomarkers in pregnant women after in vitro fertilization: a prospective cohort study

Effects of emotions on IVF/ICSI outcomes in infertile women: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To assess whether infertile women's psychological conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and stress, are associated with in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes, we systematically searched for relevant articles from January 1, 2004, to March 29, 2024, in five databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO. A random-effects model was used to examine pooled standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 29 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. The statistical analysis revealed that infertile women with higher levels of anxiety [SMD: -0.17, 95% CI: (-0.27, -0.06), P = 0.002] and depression [SMD: -0.17, 95% CI: (-0.30, -0.04), P = 0.008] were less likely to have a successful pregnancy following IVF/ICSI treatment. Although not statistically significant, the results indicate a trend of increasing IVF/ICSI success with increasing participants' perceived stress levels [SMD: 0.09, 95% CI: (-0.01, 0.19), P = 0.07]. There was also no statistically significant correlation between infertility-related stress and IVF/ICSI outcomes [SMD: -0.26, 95% CI: (-0.79, 0.28), P = 0.35]. In general, it suggested that medical personnel should be aware of the mental health of infertile women involved in IVF/ICSI.

Assisted reproductive technologies and postpartum depressive symptoms: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) have become the main treatment for infertility. ART treatment can be a stressful life event for infertile females. Whether there is an association between ARTs and postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS) has not been established.

METHODS

PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CNKI were searched. The pooled outcome was the difference in incidence of PDS within 1 year postpartum between ARTs and the spontaneous pregnancy group.

RESULTS

A total of 12 cohort studies, which were conducted in eight developed countries and two developing countries, were involved. In total, 106,338 pregnant women, including 4990 infertile females with ARTs treatment and 101,348 women with spontaneous pregnancy, were enrolled in our final analysis. ARTs women had a lower incidence of PDS compared to the spontaneous pregnancy group according to a random effect model (OR = 0.83, 95 % CI: 0.71-0.97, p = 0.022, I2 = 62.0 %). Subgroup analyses indicated that studies on late PDS (follow-up: 3-12 months postpartum) were more heterogeneous than those on early PDS (follow-up: <3 months postpartum) (I2 = 24.3 % vs. I2 = 0 %, interaction p-value < 0.001). There was a strong relationship between ARTs and late PDS (OR = 0.65, 95 % CI: 0.55-0.77, p < 0.001). Therefore, the possible source of heterogeneity was the postpartum evaluation time, which was confirmed by post-hoc meta-regression.

LIMITATIONS

Some underlying confounders, such as previous psychiatric illness, the limited availability of ARTs, and ethnic disparities, cannot be ignored and may have biased interpretation of the results.

CONCLUSION

The available data suggested that ARTs were associated with lower incidence of PDS, especially when follow-up lasted over 3 months. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution. Better-designed trials are needed to confirm this association.

Investigation of the Relationship Between Spiritual Well-Being, Prenatal Stress and Attachment Level of Turkish Women Conceiving Spontaneously or with Assisted Reproductive Techniques

The aim of the study is to examine the relationship between spiritual well-being, prenatal stress and attachment level of Turkish women conceiving spontaneously or with assisted reproductive techniques (ART). The comparative descriptive study type was conducted between November 2021 and June 2022 with 202 pregnant women, including 87 women conceiving with ART and 115 women conceiving spontaneously, who applied for routine prenatal care checkup in a state hospital in the west of Turkey. Both groups have a high level of spiritual well-being. Pregnant women in the ART group experience higher prenatal distress (9.6% for spontaneous, 12.6% for ART, p = 0.487) and low level of attachment (69.72 ± 7.98 for spontaneous, 66.24 ± 8.88 for ART, p = 0.006) compared to the other group. Additionally, as insufficient partner involvement in the prenatal process increases in pregnant women in both groups, prenatal attachment decreases. It is extremely important that midwives and nurses evaluate the spiritual well-being of pregnant women and provide holistic care in line with their spiritual needs.

Depression, anxiety, and stress in infertile couples during the COVID-19 pandemic: the consequences we face

OBJECTIVE

Postponing assisted reproductive technology treatment can cause pronounced mental health problems. The aim of this study was to examine the level of depression, anxiety, stress, and overall infertility-related distress experienced by infertile couples during the pandemic, as well as the differences between men and women in the examined variables and the correlations between them.

METHODS

A total of 131 participants were included in the study, 65 men and 66 women. They were selected based on their responses in the Fertility Problems Inventory (FPI); the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21); and a general data questionnaire provided to them at the time of IVF.

RESULTS

The levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in women and men resided within the normal range. Depression (p<0.05), anxiety (p<0.01), stress (p<0.01), and social concern (p<0.05) were more pronounced among women. Significant correlations were found between depression, anxiety, stress, and global stress and its three dimensions: social concern, sexual concern, and relationship concern.

CONCLUSIONS

During the pandemic, women undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatment experienced significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and overall infertility-related stress than men. Furthermore, depression, anxiety, and stress were apparently correlated with overall infertility-related stress.

Impact of Assisted Reproduction Techniques on Adverse Maternal Outcomes and on the Rate of Hospitalization in Maternal Intensive Care

Background and Objective: The aim of this retrospective cohort study is to evaluate the impact of assisted reproductive treatment (ART) on adverse maternal outcomes and the rate of hospitalization in maternal intensive care (MIC) in a tertiary university center in Liege, Belgium. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study comparing two groups, 6557 patients who achieved pregnancy spontaneously and 330 patients who achieved pregnancy after ART, between January 2020 and December 2022. These patients were followed in the academic obstetrics department of Citadelle Hospital, Liège. The database of the ART center was compared with the database of the delivery unit to determine the cohort of patients who conceived after ART. Adverse maternal outcomes and MIC hospitalization rates were compared with between spontaneous pregnancies and ART groups. ART groups were also compared with each other. Results: The rate of hospitalization in maternal intensive care for patients who achieved pregnancy spontaneously was 12.1%, compared to 17.3% after ART. Comparing the rate of pre-eclampsia, 3.5% of spontaneous pregnancies were complicated by pre-eclampsia, while after ART, 10.9% of patients developed this complication during pregnancy. This rate was higher after IVF (12%) compared to intrauterine insemination and particularly after frozen embryo transfer (FET) in artificial cycle (17.9%). The birthweight of newborns after ART was also analyzed. A significant difference was obtained when comparing fresh embryo transfer with FET. Conclusions: Our study confirmed that FET in artificial cycle is a risk factor for pre-eclampsia and that fresh embryo transfer is associated with a higher rate of newborns with a lower percentile of birthweight. Our data showed that the rate of MIC hospitalization was significantly higher after ART but did not differ between groups.

Long-Term Effects of ART on the Health of the Offspring

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) significantly increase the chance of successful pregnancy and live birth in infertile couples. The different procedures for ART, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), intrauterine insemination (IUI), and gamete intrafallopian tube transfer (GIFT), are widely used to overcome infertility-related problems. In spite of its inarguable usefulness, concerns about the health consequences of ART-conceived babies have been raised. There are reports about the association of ART with birth defects and health complications, e.g., malignancies, high blood pressure, generalized vascular functional disorders, asthma and metabolic disorders in later life. It has been suggested that hormonal treatment of the mother, and the artificial environment during the manipulation of gametes and embryos may cause genomic and epigenetic alterations and subsequent complications in the health status of ART-conceived babies. In the current study, we aimed to review the possible long-term consequences of different ART procedures on the subsequent health status of ART-conceived offspring, considering the confounding factors that might account for/contribute to the long-term consequences.

Comparison of psychological disorders during and after pregnancies caused by assisted reproductive treatments and spontaneous pregnancies

INTRODUCTION

Mental disorders during pregnancy are one of the major public health problems because of its effect on both mother and child, but the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in infertile women is largely unknown to compare psychiatric disorders during and after pregnancies with assisted reproductive therapies (ART) and spontaneous pregnancies.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted on pregnant women referring to midwifery centers in Ahvaz City in 2022. Pregnant women were included in two groups of either pregnancy caused by ART (n= 84) or spontaneous pregnancy (n= 256). The Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL90-R) was used to assess psychiatric disorders during and after pregnancies.

RESULTS

A high percentage of women with spontaneous pregnancy (74.6%) and ART (91.7%) had some degree of psychological disorders. The severity of psychological disorders in both groups was higher during pregnancy than after pregnancy (P<0.001). The intensity of various psychological disorders during and after pregnancy in the ART pregnancy group was significantly higher than the control group (P<0.001). An increased risk of psychiatric disorders during pregnancy was associated with the history of psychiatric disorders [odd ratio (OR): 12.393; P= 0.022], family history of psychiatric disorders (OR:26.168; P<0.001), history of infertility (OR: 19.00; P<0.001), primary infertility (OR: 12.714; P=0.004), infertility duration more than three years (OR: 43.424; P<0.001), and frequency of embryo transfer (OR: 18.939; P=0.045).

CONCLUSION

Psychiatric disorders were prevalent among pregnant women in the study area especially in pregnant women with ART. Regular screening programs for mental health problem should be included in an antenatal care service especially in this high-risk group.

Antenatal predictors of postnatal maternal attachment and competence after assisted conception-a prospective cohort study in South India

The aim of this study is to examine the influence of antenatal factors such as anxiety, depression, perceived stress, marital satisfaction, maternal antenatal attachment, and social support on postnatal maternal attachment and competence in women who received assisted reproductive treatment. A prospective longitudinal cohort design was adopted with two groups-50 women who received assisted reproductive treatment and 50 women who had natural conception. Both the groups were assessed using self-report measures over three time points: T1, 7th month of pregnancy; T2, 2 weeks postpartum; and T3, 3 months postpartum. A final sample of 44 women who had assisted conception and 47 women who had natural conception completed assessments across all three time points. Descriptive, bivariate analyses, and stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were carried out. In the assisted conception group, maternal antenatal attachment, depression, and marital satisfaction significantly predicted postnatal maternal-infant attachment. Perceived social support, depression, and duration of marriage significantly predicted postnatal maternal competence. In the naturally conceived group, maternal antenatal attachment and social support significantly predicted postnatal maternal-infant attachment; perceived stress significantly predicted postnatal maternal competence. Antenatal depressive symptoms and relational factors significantly influenced postnatal maternal attachment and competence highlighting the need for screening and targeted psychological interventions during pregnancy.

Relationship between anxiety and depressive trajectories of women who conceived through assisted reproductive technology and their children's emotional and behavioral problems: A prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the relationship between the anxiety and depressive trajectory of women conceived through assisted reproductive technology (ART) and their children's emotional and behavioral problems.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study including 18,711 women, was conducted between July 2014 and December 2017. Self-rating scales for anxiety and depression were used before treatment, during the first trimester, and two to three years postpartum. A latent class growth analysis identified their maternal anxiety and depressive symptom trajectories. Multiple comparison and linear regression models were performed to assess the relationships between maternal trajectories and their offspring's emotional and behavioral problems.

RESULTS

Three longitudinal heterogeneous trajectories of maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms were identified: resilient, recurrent, and emergent. After adjusting for covariates, children with mothers in the recurrent and emergent trajectory groups had higher Child Behavior Checklist/2-3 scores. Additionally, the participants with a recurrent trajectory had lower education and employment levels and younger maternal age at delivery. They also had a history of ovarian surgery, primipara, secondary infertility, polycystic ovary syndrome, and more embryo transferred cycles, including intracytoplasmic sperm injections. Those with resilient trajectories had higher antral follicle counts and GnRH antagonist protocol. Finally, the participants with emergent trajectories had a lower monthly income, primipara, ectopic pregnancy, and fresh embryo transfers.

CONCLUSIONS

Infertile women's psychological stress was not alleviated by the ART-sociodemographic, infertility-related and treatment-related characteristics determined three mental health trajectories. Children with mothers in recurrent and emergent trajectories showed higher odds of experiencing emotional and behavioral problems.

The relationship between positive psychological qualities and prenatal negative emotion in pregnant women: A path analysis

Objective

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between positive psychological qualities and negative emotions of pregnant women.

Methods

We surveyed 774 pregnant women in a tertiary hospital in Urumqi using the following measures: a self-report general demographic data questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), Patients Health Questionnaire depression scale (PHQ-9), Pregnancy Pressure Scale (stocktickerPPS), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and Connor-Davidson Resilience scale (CD-RISC). We used the Amos2.03 system to build a structural equation model.

Results

A total of 774 subjects had an average age of 30 years and an average gestational age of 23 weeks. Among the 774 respondents, 122 (15.8%) had moderate or above pregnancy stress (stocktickerPPS > 1), 376 (48.6%) had mild or above anxiety symptoms (GAD-7 ≥ 5), 456 (58.9%) had mild or above depression symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 5), 740 (95.6%) had moderate or above social support scores (PSSS ≥ 37), and 124 (16.0%) had good or above psychological resilience scores (CD-RISC ≥ 60). Notably, 372 (48.1%) people had a self-efficacy score above the overall average (GSES ≥ 2.6). Pregnancy stress had positive correlations with anxiety and depression (β = 0.57, 0.30, P < 0.01) and negative correlations with self-efficacy (β = -0.19, P < 0.01). Anxiety had positive correlations with depression (β = 0.54, P < 0.01) and negative correlations with social support (β = -0.45, P < 0.01). Social support had positive correlations with self-efficacy and resilience (β = 0.37, 0.47, P < 0.01). Resilience had negative correlations with anxiety (β = -0.09, P < 0.01), and self-efficacy had positive correlations with resilience (β = 0.41, P < 0.01).

Conclusion

Identification of pregnancy stress should be emphasized in pregnant women with negative emotions. Efforts to strengthen the positive psychological qualities of pregnant women should focus on cultivating psychological resilience to reduce the occurrence of anxiety, and improving social support should be a priority because it can enhance psychological resilience and self-efficacy. We provide a reason to intervene in the negative emotions of pregnant women from the perspective of the positive psychology of pregnant women.

Living with the Threat of Covid-19: Exploring the Psychological Impact of Covid-19 in Those who Conceived Through ART Versus Spontaneously

OBJECTIVES

To explore and compare anxiety relating to the threat of Covid-19 in pregnancy by women who conceived through assisted reproductive technology (ART) and spontaneously. We also examined the psychological coping strategies used and lived experience for both groups.

METHODS

A total of 21 women who conceived through ART at a private university based IVF and a matched sample of women who conceived spontaneously were enrolled from July 2020 to February 2021. This was a mixed methods study. Covid-19-specific anxiety was measured using the coronavirus anxiety scale (CAS) as well as a validating qualitative data model with the use of open-ended questions to expand on quantitative findings.

RESULTS

In both groups of women the level of anxiety detected by the CAS was low and mixed coping strategies (emotion-focused and problem-solving) were utilized. The ART group expressed more positive feelings towards pregnancy during the Covid-19 pandemic.

CONCLUSION

The vulnerable ART group is no more at risk for negative emotional well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, healthcare providers ought to be knowledgeable of various Covid-19 coping strategies that may provide emotionally protective measures for all women of reproductive age. This is of particular importance as effective coping may ultimately prevent disruptions that could compromise prenatal care during the covid-19 pandemic.

Case Management Improves Satisfaction, Anxiety, and Depression of Patients with Pregnancy Loss after In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer

Objective

Pregnancy loss has negative impacts on both the physical and the mental health of expectant mothers, which calls for an in-depth investigation. In this study, we examined the effects of case management on patients with pregnancy loss after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

Methods

100 participants that had suffered pregnancy loss after IVF-ET-assisted pregnancy from January 2019 to March 2020 were divided into routine care and case management groups, each with 50 cases. For the routine care group, a doctor led the diagnostic and treatment processes and a nurse assisted with the treatment. For the case management group, a nurse led the patient diagnostic and treatment processes and a doctor controlled the diagnosis and treatment plan formulation. Case management models were established according to the comprehensive peripregnancy loss care of patients with pregnancy loss after IVF-ET-assisted pregnancy. The participants' outcomes (satisfaction, anxiety, and depression) were assessed at the time of pregnancy loss and 1 and 3 months after pregnancy loss during follow-up of the routine care and case management groups.

Results

There was no statistical difference between the patients in the two groups with regard to their general information statistics (P > 0.05) or their satisfaction, anxiety, and depression at the time of pregnancy loss (P > 0.05). One month after pregnancy loss, there was no statistical difference in anxiety between the two groups (P > 0.05), but satisfaction was greater and depression was significantly reduced in the case management group compared with the routine care group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Case management care can have a positive effect on improving the satisfaction, anxiety, and depression of patients that have had pregnancy loss after IVF-ET.

Association between childhood asthma and history of assisted reproduction techniques: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Genetic and environmental factors during early development may influence lung growth and impact lung function. We performed a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies examining the association between conception history of assisted reproduction techniques (ART) and childhood asthma. We searched PubMed and Embase up to November 2020 for relevant observational studies and synthesized data data under a fixed or random effects model as appropriate. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² metric. We identified 13 individual studies including 3,226,386 participants. We did not observe a statistically significant association between ART and physician-diagnosed asthma (n = 9, random OR 1.16; 95% CI 0.94-1.43; I² 61%). We observed a statistically significant association between ART and prescription of asthma medications (n = 6, fixed OR 1.27; 95% CI 1.23-1.32; I² 0%). Wheezing was also associated with ART (n = 4, fixed OR 1.71; 95% CI 1.08-2.72; I² 0%). When we combined studies using any asthma definition, a statistically significant association was observed (random OR 1.19; 95% CI 1.05-1.34; I² 80%).Conclusion: The available observational evidence suggests that the risk of asthma is higher among children born after ART. The mechanism and potential sources of bias behind this association are under scrutiny, and further work is needed to establish causality. What is Known: • "Positive" epidemiological signals for the association between assisted reproduction techniques and asthma stemming from large studies were not replicated by subsequent research. • Any available research synthesis effort so far bears no quantitative aspect. What is New: • The available observational evidence suggests that the risk of asthma is higher among children born after ART. • The mechanism and potential sources of bias behind this association are under scrutiny.

The Effect of Stress, Anxiety and Depression on In Vitro Fertilization Outcome in Kazakhstani Public Clinical Setting: A Cross-Sectional Study

Although it is clear that infertility leads to heightened stress for patients, the impact of depressed mood and anxiety on treatment outcome is inconsistently reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of stress, depression and anxiety on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes in Kazakhstani public assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinics. The prospective cohort study was performed between June 2019 and September 2020 using questionnaires to assess psychological stress, depressed mood and anxiety in women referred to IVF clinics in two public clinical centers in Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan and Aktobe. Our study sample comprised 142 women with the average age of 33.9 ± 4.9 years, and infertility duration 6.0 ± 3.5 years. More than half of respondents had Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) scores higher than 16, indicating their risk of developing clinical depression. Ninety-one percent of women from Aktobe city were at risk for clinical depression (p < 0.001). Aktobe city respondents had higher stress subscale scores and anxiety scale scores (p < 0.001) than Nur-Sultan respondents. Statistical analysis showed that IVF outcome was not significantly associated with depression and stress, while the higher anxiety scale scores were negatively associated with clinical pregnancy after IVF.

Relaxation Response in Stressed Volunteers: Psychometric Tests and Neurotrophin Changes in Biological Fluids

Background: To evaluate the beneficial effects of relaxation response (RR) training in adult stressed subjects by evaluating the psychometric response recorded at relaxation session. Cortisol as well as nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mediators were quantified in both saliva and tears, and their levels were related to each other and to the psychometric response. Methods: Stressed subjects (n = 23; 10M/13F; age range 21-53 years old) were voluntarily enrolled in the study. RR training sessions were carried out for 2 months, 1 day per week, at the same time (3-5 p.m.). Two different psychological questionnaires, the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) and the Beck Depression Inventory - Short Form (BDI-SF) and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) tests, were administered before each session. Saliva and tears were sampled for cortisol (EIA), NGF (ELISA), and BDNF (ELISA) quantifications. Questionnaires' data were analyzed and compared to biochemical ones. Results: All subjects reported beneficial effects from training. RR significantly reduced the psychological stress indexes (p = 0.039 for PSS-10 and p = 0.001 for BDI-SF). Specifically, RR training lowered the perception of Perceived Helplessness (items 1, 3, 10; p < 0.05) in PSS-10 and increased the Perceived Self-Efficacy (p < 0.05). OSDI score was in the normal range (0-25). Biochemically, a decrease in cortisol, a trend to a decrease in NGF, and an increase in BDNF levels were observed in saliva samples after RR treatment. Furthermore, a trend to a decrease in NGF and an increase in BDNF were quantified in tear samples. A correlation between PSS-10 total score and saliva NGF variation (%) as well as between BDI-SF total score and BDNF tear levels were also observed. Conclusion: RR training appeared useful to lowering psychological, mental, and physical stress, as supported by both psychological total and single scores. The finding on biochemical levels of BDNF in saliva and tears are sustained by previous studies while those of NGF require further investigation. Overall, these data on a small population highlight the potential use of RR training and potential neurotrophic changes in biological fluids, in stressed volunteers.

The effect of psychological distress on IVF outcomes: Reality or speculations?

Introduction

Infertility is a problem that affects millions of people worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of stress, depression and anxiety on the IVF outcomes in Kazakhstan.

Methods

The prospective cohort study was performed using questionnaires to assess psychological distress in 304 infertile female in three different cities in Kazakhstan.

Results

The average age of participants was 33.7 years with infertility duration of 5.9 years. Regarding stress, depression and anxiety we found that more than 80% of all respondents had CES-D score higher than 16, indicating that they are at risk of developing clinical depression. On average, FPI subscales’ scores, global stress score and anxiety scale (STAI-S and STAI-T) scores were statistically significantly higher among not pregnant women than pregnant women. Similarly, in simple logistic regression analysis all FPI subscales scores, global stress scale score and anxiety scales’ scores were negatively associated with clinical pregnancy.

Conclusion

Rates of stress, anxiety and depression among IVF patients are higher than in general population. If the level of infertility-related stress is higher, IVF success rate is lower. Findings of our study indicate the need for the specific psychological interventions for all infertility women, to improve IVF success rate.

Is in vitro fertilization (IVF) associated with perinatal affective disorders?

BACKGROUND

Since mothers who undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) may experience more anxiety and depressive symptoms than mothers who conceive naturally, a review of the literature was conducted to investigate whether IVF may be considered a risk factor for the development of anxiety or depression during pregnancy and post-partum.

METHODS

A thorough search of articles in Pubmed, PsycINFO and Isi Web of Knowledge was performed in order to produce a comprehensive review regarding the potential association of in vitro fertilization and anxiety/depression.

RESULTS

The search resulted in a total of 10 articles. Contradictory results were reported in the articles about the possible association between IVF and the occurrence of anxiety and depressive symptoms both during pregnancy and postpartum period. Three studies found that women who resorted to IVF showed less anxiety and depressive symptoms than those who conceived naturally especially with the progression of pregnancy and in the postpartum.

LIMITATIONS

Vulnerability to affective disorders of women affected by infertility may be independent from the outcome of IVF. Other limits are the limited research in this area, the small sample sizes, the heterogeneity of the tools used to assess affective symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

The available data indicate that IVF is not associated with perinatal affective symptoms. Women who resorted to IVF could have less perinatal depressive symptoms as the result of a positive outcome of the technique and the satisfaction of the desire to become mothers. Further studies are necessary in order to draw definitive conclusions about this topic.

Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Women Undergoing Medically Assisted Reproduction

Background: Women taking advantage of medically assisted reproduction (MAR) techniques may differ from spontaneously conceiving women (nonMAR) in risk of depression and/or anxiety. We aimed to investigate possible differences between MAR and nonMAR through the use of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in a sample of Italian-speaking women at their third trimester of pregnancy. Methods: We administered the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to two groups of pregnant women, MAR and nonMAR, at the third trimester of pregnancy (T0), one month after delivery (T1), and three months after delivery (T2) from February 2013 to December 2019. EPDS total scores cutoffs were ≥9 for risk of depression, 9–11 mild depression, ≥12 major depression, and the EPDS-3A cluster ≥4 was a proxy for anxiety. Results: Included were 1303 nonMAR women and 92 MAR, an expected disproportion. NonMAR and MAR women did not differ on depression or anxiety at any assessment timepoint. MAR women were older than nonMAR, consumed more alcohol and medical drugs, and displayed more complications during pregnancy. Scoring over the threshold on depression risk was associated with foreign nationality, unemployment, psychiatric history of the patient, family or partner, psychiatric problems in past pregnancies, hyperemesis, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and stressful life events in the last year at baseline, and, for some of them, at other timepoints. In contrast, MAR past or current was associated with having suprathreshold depression at the first-month postpartum follow-up. Conclusions: Taken together, our data show that women opting for MAR do not differ from spontaneously conceiving women regarding psychiatric outcomes but do differ on some sociodemographic and clinical variables.

Success of in vitro fertilization and its association with the levels of psychophysiological stress before and during the treatment

Despite the advance of assisted reproduction, high rates of failure in treatment are still observed. Herein, we investigated how the psychophysiological stress profiles of patients can modulate the in vitro fertilization treatment (IVF) outcome. The women who had failure in IVF (n = 13; 65%) had higher baseline salivary cortisol awakening response and anxiety-state during treatment than patients who became pregnant (n = 7; 35%). Patients with major stress levels and religious coping style showed lower social support, which was correlated with higher anxiety. Therefore, we appointed stress modulators that negatively affect IVF and should be improved aiming to increase its success.

Progesterone, reproduction, and psychiatric illness

Mood and anxiety disorders are vastly overrepresented in women, and one important contributor to these differences is the fluctuation in sex steroids in women during the reproductive years. Considerable evidence supports a role for abnormal sensitivity to these hormonal fluctuations for some women, who develop mood symptoms associated with reproductive transitions. This chapter presents evidence of the role of endogenous progesterone and its metabolites in such mood symptoms, and then goes on to cover the evidence concerning exogenous progesterone's effects on mood. Overall, the literature does not support an association between exogenous progesterone and negative mood in the general population, but does indicate that subset of women may be vulnerable to such effects. Research is lacking on women with psychiatric illness.

Perinatal Mental Health in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of an Australian Population-Based Cohort

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have many risk factors associated with perinatal mental disorders, but research in this area is scarce. This study aims to compare the prevalence of common perinatal mental disorders in women with and without PCOS, and examine the relationship between PCOS and common perinatal mental disorders. We performed a cross-sectional study on self-reported data of 5239 women born between 1973 to 1978 in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. Compared with women not reporting PCOS, women reporting PCOS had higher prevalence of antenatal depression (8.9% vs. 4.4%, p < 0.001), antenatal anxiety (11.7% vs. 5.6%, p < 0.001), postnatal depression (26.8% vs. 18.6%, p < 0.001) and postnatal anxiety (18.4% vs. 12.0%, p < 0.001). PCOS was positively associated with antenatal depression and/or anxiety (adjusted odds ratio 1.8, 95% confidence interval 1.2–2.6) but not postnatal depression and/or anxiety after controlling for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, reproductive history, obstetric complications and pre-existing depression and anxiety. General perinatal guidelines currently do not recognize PCOS as a risk factor and the international evidence based PCOS guideline noted inadequate evidence in this area. This paper addresses the gap in literature and highlights the need to screen for common perinatal mental disorders in women with PCOS.

Non-invasive monitoring of stress biomarkers in the newborn period

The neonatal period is a highly sensitive time span during which stressful experiences may have an influence on later health outcomes. Medical procedures applied to newborn babies during hospitalization are stressors that trigger a physiological and psychological stress response. Stress response has been traditionally evaluated using scores based on behavioural signs such as facial expressions, limb movements, crying, etc., which are subjectively interpreted. Only few studies have employed measurable physiological signs to objectively evaluate the stress response to specific interventions. The aim of this review is to inform of recently developed biochemical methods that allow clinicians to evaluate the stress response to medical procedures performed in the neonatal period in biological samples non-invasively obtained. Stress biomarkers are based on the physiological stress response mediated by the hypophysis-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic-adreno-medullary systems. Cortisol is at present the most widely employed laboratory determination to measure stress levels. In recent years, sequentially determined salivary cortisol levels have allowed non-invasive monitoring of newborn infants under stressful conditions in the NICU.

Association between infertility treatment and perinatal depressive symptoms: A meta-analysis of observational studies

OBJECTIVE

Recent reports have shown a considerable number of couples received infertility treatment, raising new concerns about the association between infertility treatment and perinatal depressive symptoms. However, the conclusions of existing studies were inconsistent. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to determine whether infertility treatment increase the risk of developing perinatal depressive symptoms.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was performed in several databases up to July 2018 for relevant articles. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to explore possible sources of heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Twenty-two studies with a total of 69,201 individuals were included in this study. The pooled OR of the association between infertility treatment and perinatal depressive symptoms was 1.01(95% CI: 0.83, 1.23), with substantial heterogeneity (I² = 63%, P < .001). However, in subgroup analyses, a significantly positive association between infertility treatment and depressive symptoms was observed only in some Asian countries (six studies), and the pooled OR was 1.73 (95% CI:1.07, 2.81). An inverse association was found in 6-12 months after delivery (OR = 0.56, 95% CI:0.33, 0.96). Sensitivity analyses validated evidence of the robustness of the findings.

CONCLUSION

The results show that women who receive infertility treatment do not appear to be at increased risk of significant perinatal depressive symptoms compared with those after spontaneous conception.

Trajectories of stress biomarkers and anxious-depressive symptoms from pregnancy to postpartum period in women with a trauma history

Background: Cross-sectional studies have found that a trauma history can be associated with anxious-depressive symptomatology and physiological stress dysregulation in pregnant women. Methods: This prospective study examines the trajectories of both anxiety and depressive symptoms and salivary cortisol and α-amylase biomarkers from women with (n = 42) and without (n = 59) a trauma history at (i) 38th week of gestation (T1), (ii) 48 hours after birth (T2), and (iii) three months after birth (T3). Results: The quantile regression model showed that trauma history was associated with higher cortisol levels at T1 and this difference was sustained along T2 and T3. Conversely, there were no significant differences in α-amylase levels between groups across the three time points and both groups showed an increase in α-amylase levels from T2 to T3. The ordinal mixed model showed that trauma history was associated with higher anxiety symptoms at T1 and this remained constant from T1 to T2 but was reversed from T2 to T3. In contrast, both groups showed similar depressive symptoms across the three time points. Conclusions: Whereas physiological stress dysregulation (in terms of higher cortisol levels) was maintained from pregnancy to postpartum period, pregnancy and childbirth were the most vulnerable stages for developing anxious symptoms in mothers with trauma history.