Psychology and counselling

Abstract

Study question: This study examined how fertility-related quality of life (QoL) is predicted bywomen's and men's ownand their partners' psychosocial functioning in couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatment (ART). Summary answer: Although symptomswere in the non-clinical range, a person's own anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as their partner's fertility-related emotional distress, predict both women's and men's overall fertility-related quality of life (QoL). What is known already: Infertile couples often have poorer psychosocial functioning compared to fertile ones. Their fertility-related QoL is diminished, and is inversely related to anxiety and depression. Although infertility is a stressor for both members of the couple, few studies have examined the inter-relations of men's and women's psychosocial adjustment. Study design, size, duration: This cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of 94 heterosexual couples preparing for ART treatment in a tertiary clinic. On average, participants had > 30 years, were high-school educated, and lived in urban settings; duration of infertilitywas 3.78 ± 3.29 years, and 85% were preparing for their first ART. Participants/materials, setting, methods: Data on depression, anxiety (HADS) and fertility QoL (FertiQoL) were collected. Data were analyzed by t-tests and multivariate linear regression (MVLR). In MVLR, persons' total fertility QoL was the dependent variable; their own anxiety and depression, as well at their partner's anxiety, depression and dimensions of fertility-related QoL were predictors. Main results and the role of chance: The participants' anxiety (women: 5.17 ± 2.94; men: 3.6 ± 2.51) and depression symptoms (women: 2.0 ± 1.89; men: 2.0 ± 1.96) were in the non-clinical range, and total fertility-related QoL was high (women: 81.6 ± 10.92; men: 86.4 ± 8.42). Men reported less anxiety (t = 5.02, p