title: Effect of psychiatric group intervention on natural-killer cell activity and pregnancy rate.
abstract: We investigated the effects of psychiatric group intervention on the emotions, natural-killer (NK) cell activity and pregnancy rate in Japanese infertile women by a randomized study. Thirty-seven women completed a 5-session intervention program and were compared with 37 controls. Psychological discomfort and NK-cell activity (47.7% to 34.1%, P<.0001) significantly decreased after the intervention, whereas no significant changes were observed in controls. According to a 1-year follow-up of both groups, the pregnancy rate in the intervention group was significantly higher than that of controls (37.8% vs. 13.5%, P=.03). Psychological group intervention was therefore effective in Japanese infertile women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan. hosaka@is.icc.u-tokai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hosaka
authors.forename: Hidehiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsubayashi
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Shun-ichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: Tsunehisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Makino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome