A comparison of psychological functioning in women at different stages of in vitro fertilization treatment using the mean affect adjective check list
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1Assisted Conception Unit, Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH3 9EF, United Kingdom.
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.
