Psychosocial aspects of in vitro fertilization

There is growing recognition of the existence of an interaction between the psychosocial status of women and their (in)fertility. This has prompted study of the psychosocial aspects of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Following a literature survey, a psychosocial questionnaire was constructed using existing tests and a specific IVF attitude questionnaire was developed. This questionnaire was completed by 150 new IVF women who were participating in a multicenter study. The newly-developed specific IVF questionnaire appeared to be reliable and valid, although women had a tendency to give socially desirable answers. The results indicate that IVF women feel more anxious (State-Trait Anxiety Index) than a normal population, but do not express more emotional complaints (Hopkins Symptoms Checklist). Comparison of the answers concerning the situation before and after IVF treatment revealed that treatment outcome has no influence on attitude towards IVF. After treatment, the women's state of anxiety was unchanged, while the quality of couples' relationships was enhanced. A possible influence exerted by psychosocial factors on the chances of achieving pregnancy with IVF could not be confirmed. Several methodological aspects of the study are discussed to explain the results.