title: Psychological side-effects of clomiphene citrate and human menopausal gonadotrophin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the psychological side-effects of clomiphene citrate (CC) and hMG in women undergoing fertility treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a cross-sectional, self-report survey of 454 women at various stages of treatment for infertility. At the time of study, 139 women had not taken fertility drugs and 315 women had taken one or more cycles of CC or hMG. All subjects were asked to complete the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Women taking CC or hMG were also asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire on the side-effects of their medications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the CC group (n = 162) and hMG group (n = 153), 77.8% (126 of 162) and 94.8% (145 of 153) reported at least one side-effect, respectively. Irritability, mood swings, feeling down, and bloating had high frequencies in both CC and hMG groups, with a higher mean number of side effects reported in the hMG group (4.4 +/- 3.7 for the CC group and 6.8 +/- 3.7 for the hMG group, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference among the CC, hMG and no medication groups for mean state and trait anxiety scores. However, there were significant differences among the three side-effect groups (those who reported 1 to 4, 5 to 7, and more than 7 side-effects) for the mean scores of state (df = 2, F = 8.7, p < 0.001) and trait (df = 2, F = 11.9, p < 0.001) anxiety in women taking fertility drugs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women taking CC or hMG reported high frequencies of psychological side-effects, and should be advised of these before treatment.
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Program, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. cshi@unitel.co.kr
authors.forename: So-Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.forename: Gail E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Irvine
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neuman
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002996:Clomiphene / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000188:drug therapy; D008593:Menopause / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D002996:Clomiphene