Comparison of anxiety scores between unexplained primary and secondary infertile couples

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the anxiety levels among infertile women and their partners also factors that may affect the anxiety status

Study design

A total of 403 infertile couples who applied to Infertility Outpatient Clinics of a University-affiliated Teaching and Research Hospital were included in the study. The infertile group was divided into two groups as primary and secondary infertile. One hundred and thirty-two fertile couples who applied to Gynecology Outpatient Clinics composed the control group. Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) form was filled by the infertile couples to evaluate the anxiety status before they started their treatment.

Results

Three hundred and twenty infertile and 84 fertile couples completed the study. The mean total scores of HAM-A of women were similar between the groups. So were the scores of their husbands. In all groups, women had significantly higher mean total HAM-A scores than their husbands. There was no association between the mean HAM-A score of women and age, BMI, AFC, duration of marriage, duration of infertility, number of previous treatment cycles. Education status, working status and family structure of women did not correlate with the mean HAM-A score.

Conclusion

Unexplained primary and secondary infertile couples had similar anxiety scores before the commencement of fertility treatments. However, the scores were higher in women than their male partners. Since the burden of treatment and the likelihood of treatment failure might increase the level of anxiety the women could be offered proper cognitive coping and relaxation interventions.

不明原因原发与继发不孕夫妇焦虑评分比较 摘要

目的：调查不孕妇女及其配偶的焦虑水平及可能影响其焦虑状况的因素。

研究设计：纳入一大学附属教学与研究医院的不孕门诊就诊的403对不孕夫妇。不孕组分为原发不孕和继发不孕两组。就诊于妇科的132对生育夫妇为对照组。不孕夫妇在开始治疗前填写汉密尔顿焦虑量表 (HAM-A)以评估焦虑状态。

结果：320 对不孕夫妇和 84 对生育夫妇完成了研究。各组女性的平均HAM-A总得分相似。她们丈夫的分数也是如此。在所有组中, 女性的平均总 HAM-A 得分明显高于她们的丈夫。女性的平均 HAM-A得分与年龄、BMI、AFC、婚姻持续时间、不孕持续时间、既往治疗周期数之间没有关联, 女性的教育状况、工作状况和家庭结构与平均 HAM-A 得分无关。

结论：不明原因的原发和继发不孕夫妇在开始生育治疗前具有相似的焦虑评分。然而, 女性的得分高于其男性伴侣。由于治疗的负担和治疗失败的可能性可能会增加焦虑程度, 因此可以为女性提供适当的认知应对和放松干预。

Keywords:

• Infertility
• anxiety
• unexplained infertility

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest