Brief Cognitive Behavioral Intervention in Groups in a Brazilian Assisted Reproduction Program

Abstract

The study's objective was to assess the effect of a cognitive behavioral group intervention on the pregnancy rates of patients submitted to in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques or to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The study was conducted on 188 patients, 93 who participated in a group of psychological intervention before the IVF and ICSI procedures and 95 patients submitted to IVF and ICSI during the same period of time, who did not participate in the intervention (control group). Clinical pregnancy was the outcome measure. Demographic and clinical variables were compared between groups in order to assess the group's homogeneity. Participants in the psychological intervention obtained a pregnancy rate of 39.8%, significantly higher than the 23.2% rate of nonparticipants (χ² = 6.03, p = .01, odds ratio of 22 (CI: 1.16–4.13). The data suggest that group psychological intervention before IVF and ICSI in order to control stress seems to increase the rate of success of these procedures.

Keywords:

• cognitive behavioral intervention
• infertility
• distress
• IVF patients
• psychology