Stress in couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology.

Area of Science:

• Reproductive endocrinology and infertility.
• Psychoneuroendocrinology.

Background:

• Assisted reproductive technology (ART) success can be influenced by various physiological and psychological factors.
• The role of stress and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in ART outcomes requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between pre-treatment stress levels, salivary cortisol, and clinical pregnancy rates in couples undergoing ART.
• To determine if psychological assessments and salivary cortisol measurements can predict ART success.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-five couples undergoing ART were assessed for psychological variables (stress, anxiety, depression) and salivary cortisol levels before treatment.
• Salivary cortisol was measured at multiple time points upon waking.

Main Results:

• No significant association was found between self-reported stress levels and ART treatment outcomes.
• Women with successful ART outcomes exhibited higher median pre-treatment salivary cortisol levels compared to those with unsuccessful outcomes.
• No significant difference in salivary cortisol levels was observed between men with successful and unsuccessful ART outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Elevated pre-treatment salivary cortisol levels in women may be associated with a higher likelihood of clinical pregnancy following ART.
• Moderate HPA axis activity, as indicated by salivary cortisol, might play a role in successful conception during ART treatments.