Correlative analysis of social support with anxiety and depression in men undergoing in vitro fertilization embryo transfer for the first time

Abstract

Objective: To explore the correlation between the level of social support and the extent of anxiety and depression in Chinese men undergoing in vitro fertilization embryo transfer (IVF-ET) for the first time, in order to provide a basis for male mental health counselling. Methods: Self-administered questionnaires covering general health status, anxiety (self-rating anxiety scale), depression (self-rating depression scale) and social support (social support rating scale) were completed by men undergoing their first round of IVF-ET. Results: A total of 502 completed questionnaires were considered valid and were analysed. The anxiety, depression and social support scores for men undergoing their first round of IVF-ET were significantly higher than those for Chinese normative data. Social support was inversely correlated with anxiety and depression. Conclusions: These findings suggest that health care professionals should provide specific psychological counselling to Chinese men undergoing their first round of IVF-ET, in order to improve their psychological health and to facilitate increased levels of social support.

Gender differences in emotional reactions to in vitro fertilization treatment: a systematic review

“…The depression levels of women and/or men were investigated in the nine studies using a variety of instruments: the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) [11,20,24], the Symptom Check List (SCL-90) [5,23], the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) [19], the Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWB) [6], the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) [21], and the Lubin's Depression Adjective Checklist Scale (DACL) [22]. The depression levels of women before proceeding with IVF treatment were presented in seven studies.…”

“…Two of the four studies that examined the depression status of infertile men also showed that these men exhibited more symptoms of depression than fertile men [19], or a higher incidence of moderate and severe depression (BDI ≥ 10, IVF vs. ICSI vs. control = 44 % vs. 26.7 % vs. 24 %) [11].…”

“…The anxiety levels of women and/or men of infertile couples were assessed in eight studies that adopted different inventories: the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) [11,20,22,24], the Symptom Check List (SCL-90) [5,23], the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) [19], and the Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWB) [6].…”

“…Two studies identified differences in anxiety, with men of infertile couples demonstrating higher levels of anxiety than fertile men (subscale of PGWB, m = 23.1 vs. 24.5; SDS, m = 44.0 vs. 41.88) [6,19]. Two studies showed that there were no differences in the prevalence of anxiety prior to the initiation of treatment between the IVF or ICSI group and fertile men [11], and in the scores for state anxiety between infertile males and normal males [22].…”

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and fertility potential of the men. Psychiatry and Urology. At the junction of related disciplines

“…Лечебно-диагностические проце-дуры, многочисленные попытки забеременеть, ожидания, разочарования нередко приводят (или наслаиваются) к психоэмоциональным расстройствам. Нервно-психический фактор как причина, усугубляющая бесплодие, явля-ется общепризнанным среди специалистов раз-личных клинических дисциплин [4][5][6].…”