Antenatal moods regarding self, baby, and spouse among women who conceived by in vitro fertilization.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the antenatal feelings of women who conceived by IVF, with a focus on their moods regarding self, baby, and spouse.


METHODS
Controlled, prospective study.


METHODS
Outpatient clinics.


METHODS
Thirty women who conceived by IVF and 30 demographically matched women who conceived naturally.


METHODS
Validated interview and standardized questionnaires.


METHODS
Emotionality; positive affect; negative affect; moods regarding self, spouse, and baby; and global anxiety and depression.


RESULTS
Compared with controls, the IVF group scored lower on negative affect and higher on measures of (positive) mood regarding self, baby, and spouse. No differences between groups were found on measures of positive affect, depression, or anxiety. Women who had undergone two to three IVF cycles had lower negative affect scores than women who had conceived after the first treatment cycle, and mood regarding spouse depended on whether or not he had been the sole source of the couple's infertility.


CONCLUSIONS
Women who conceived by IVF experienced more positive moods during pregnancy than did the controls, and lingering effects of the women's history of infertility were still in evidence.
Harf-Kashdaei
Einat
E
Department of Psychology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
Kaitz
Marsha
M
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000523:psychology; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*