title: Prevalence and incidence of depressive and anxious symptoms in couples undergoing assisted reproductive treatment in an Italian infertility department.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We have conducted a longitudinal observational study in order to evaluate the prevalence and the incidence of depressive and anxious symptoms in women and men seeking infertility treatment and to analyze associated factors or risk factors for these kinds of disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1000 consecutive couples that visited our center for the first time were asked to join this study. Depressive and anxious symptoms were assessed with self-rating Zung Depression Scale (ZDS) and Zung Anxiety Scale (ZAS) questionnaires. A second assessment was planned at the time of β HCG dosage (or at the moment of cycle suspension). A standard questionnaire was used to investigate socio-demographic information and the psychological aspects of couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. The fertility history and outcome of IVF treatment were collected from patients' medical records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  14.7% of women had anxious symptoms and 17.9% depressive symptoms, whereas 4.5% of men had anxious symptoms and 6.9% depressive symptoms. Women with depressive and anxious symptoms were younger, more often had an anxious partner and had a longer history of infertility. Men with depressive and anxious symptoms more frequently had a temporary job, they had an anxious partner and they were more frequently at the first in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle. The incidence of depressive and/or anxious symptoms was 18.5% in women and 7.4% in men. Age and previous IVF treatments seem not to be associated with incidence of depressive or anxious symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both the prevalence and incidence of depressive and/or anxious symptoms in couples undergoing IVF treatment were worthy of note and should not be underestimated. More attention must be paid to psychological aspects in young women and in couples with a long history of infertility or previous failure treatments. Having an anxious partner was associated with anxious and depressive symptoms. For this reason, both males and females might benefit from psychological intervention, which could also help them to be supportive to each other.
authors.affiliation: Infertility Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore, Policlinico, Via M. Fanti 6, 20122 Milan, Italy. francesca.chiaffarino@gmail.com
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiaffarino
authors.forename: Maria P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Baldini
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scarduelli
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bommarito
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ambrosio
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Orsi
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Torretta
authors.forename: Micol
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonizzoni
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ragni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007246:Infertility / Q000523:psychology*; D007558:Italy; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors