Abstract
Purpose: The objectives were to identify the stage/s of IVF treatment where a woman is most vulnerable to psychological stress, and to assess the Mean Affect Adjective Check List (MAACL) as a measure of psychological functioning during IVF treatment, which has hitherto not been reported.
Methods: Thirty-seven women undergoing IVF treatment according to the long protocol of controlled ovarian stimulation completed the MAACL questionnaire at the following stages: (a) before treatment (visit 1), (b) before embryo transfer (visit 2), and (c) before pregnancy test (visit 3).
Results: Apart from anxiety scores for visit 2, the hostility, depression, and state anxiety scores for visit 3 were higher than the corresponding scores for visits 1 and 2 (P < 0.001). Anxiety scores for visits 2 and 3 were similar.
Conclusions: Psychological counseling should be targeted at women after embryo transfer and leading up to the pregnancy test. The MAACL is a useful method for measuring psychological stress in women during IVF treatment.
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Yong, P., Martin, C. & Thong, J. A Comparison of Psychological Functioning in Women at Different Stages of In Vitro Fertilization Treatment Using the Mean Affect Adjective Check List. J Assist Reprod Genet 17, 553–556 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026429712794
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026429712794