Joëlle Darwiche1, Anne Milek2, Jean-Philippe Antonietti3, Yvan Vial4. 1. Family and Development Research Center, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: joelle.darwiche@unil.ch. 2. Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland. 3. Family and Development Research Center, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland. 4. Department of Woman-Mother-Child, University Hospital Lausanne and University of Lausanne, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Pregnancy after infertility is a challenging experience. The first-trimester screening test may add stress. Partner support reduces psychological distress in pregnant women after spontaneous conception. No data are available for women who conceive via assisted reproductive technology. AIM: To assess whether there was a difference between couples who underwent assisted reproductive technology and couples who conceived spontaneously in the support they felt they provided to their partner and whether their perception of support received from their partner reduced their distress. METHODS: This longitudinal prospective study included 52 women (spontaneous conception) and 53 women (assisted reproductive technology), as well as their partners. Participants completed the state scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Edinburgh Depression Scale, and two partner-support subscales of the Dyadic Coping Inventory: before prenatal testing (gestational age 12 weeks), immediately after receiving the results (gestational age of approximately 14 weeks), and once all the prenatal screenings had been completed (gestational age 22 weeks). FINDINGS: Women who underwent assisted reproductive technology felt less able to help their partner cope with stress and felt their partner was less able to help them cope with stress than women with spontaneous pregnancy. This difference was not observed in men. Higher perceived partner support lowered the anxiety and depression of couples who conceived spontaneously, but did not benefit couples who followed fertility treatment. CONCLUSION: These results add to our knowledge of the emotional state of women and their partners during pregnancy after infertility. This knowledge may allow prenatal care providers to offer specialized counselling to women and their partners in the transition from infertility to parenthood.
BACKGROUND: Pregnancy after infertility is a challenging experience. The first-trimester screening test may add stress. Partner support reduces psychological distress in pregnant women after spontaneous conception. No data are available for women who conceive via assisted reproductive technology. AIM: To assess whether there was a difference between couples who underwent assisted reproductive technology and couples who conceived spontaneously in the support they felt they provided to their partner and whether their perception of support received from their partner reduced their distress. METHODS: This longitudinal prospective study included 52 women (spontaneous conception) and 53 women (assisted reproductive technology), as well as their partners. Participants completed the state scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Edinburgh Depression Scale, and two partner-support subscales of the Dyadic Coping Inventory: before prenatal testing (gestational age 12 weeks), immediately after receiving the results (gestational age of approximately 14 weeks), and once all the prenatal screenings had been completed (gestational age 22 weeks). FINDINGS:Women who underwent assisted reproductive technology felt less able to help their partner cope with stress and felt their partner was less able to help them cope with stress than women with spontaneous pregnancy. This difference was not observed in men. Higher perceived partner support lowered the anxiety and depression of couples who conceived spontaneously, but did not benefit couples who followed fertility treatment. CONCLUSION: These results add to our knowledge of the emotional state of women and their partners during pregnancy after infertility. This knowledge may allow prenatal care providers to offer specialized counselling to women and their partners in the transition from infertility to parenthood.
Authors: Leticia Molina-García; Manuel Hidalgo-Ruiz; Eva María Cocera-Ruíz; Esther Conde-Puertas; Miguel Delgado-Rodríguez; Juan Miguel Martínez-Galiano Journal: PLoS One Date: 2019-12-30 Impact factor: 3.240