Personality traits associated with depressive and anxiety disorders in infertile women and men undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To assess which personality traits are associated with depressive and/or anxiety disorders in infertile women and men undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
A university hospital in Sweden.


METHODS
A total of 856 eligible women and men, 428 couples, were approached to participate. Overall 643 (75.1%) subjects filled out the Swedish Universities Scales of Personality (SSP) questionnaire. The response rates were 323 women (75.5%) and 320 men (74.8%).


METHODS
The SSP, a self-rating personality trait questionnaire, was used for evaluation. Main outcome measures. Personality traits associated with depression and/or anxiety disorders.


RESULTS
Higher mean scores on all neuroticism-related personality traits were found in women and men with depressive and/or anxiety disorders compared to women and men with no diagnosis. High scores of neuroticism and a negative pregnancy test after IVF were associated with depressive and/or anxiety disorders among women. Among men, high scores of neuroticism and unexplained or male infertility factor were associated with depressive and/or anxiety disorders. High neuroticism scores were negatively associated with live birth (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
High scores on neuroticism-related personality traits were associated with depressive and/or anxiety disorders in women and men undergoing IVF.
Volgsten
Helena
H
Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. helena.volgsten@kbh.uu.se
Ekselius
Lisa
L
Poromaa
Inger Sundström
IS
Svanberg
Agneta Skoog
AS
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000523:psychology*; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000523:psychology*; D050498:Live Birth; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic