Psychopathology, personality, and marital relationship in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization procedures.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the psychopathology, personality features, and marital relationships of women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) with those of control patients, and to compare IVF inductees with program veterans.


METHODS
Cross-sectional clinical study.


METHODS
A university hospital.


METHODS
One hundred and one women undergoing IVF treatment.


METHODS
Psychometric tests were administered at first visit (baseline) of index treatment cycle.


METHODS
Achievement of pregnancy.


RESULTS
Women undergoing IVF show higher levels of anxiety and emotional tension than do controls. Although the infertile women showed no abnormal personality dimensions, the IVF group did have a particular psychological profile and a different marital relationship pattern when compared with the control participants. Between IVF veterans and inductees, there are significant differences with respect to psychopathology, psychological dimensions, and couple dynamics. The achievement of pregnancy is not associated with any special psychopathological, personality, or marital characteristics among the IVF women.


CONCLUSIONS
The most crucial period in IVF procedures may immediately follow the end of the first cycle because of the high risk of patients dropping out of the program. To determine the most effective supporting therapies for women undergoing fertilization procedures it could be useful to consider the psychological and relational differences between veterans and inductees.
Salvatore
P
P
Instituto di Clinica Psichiatrica, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
Gariboldi
S
S
Offidani
A
A
Coppola
F
F
Amore
M
M
Maggini
C
C
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008393:Marriage; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010551:Personality; D015995:Prevalence; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods