Assessment of Anxiety in Pregnancy Following Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) and Associated Infertility Factors in Women Commencing Treatment

BACKGROUND: Successful pregnancy is the ultimate goal of almost all couples. However, this pleasant event is usually accompanied psychological and behavioral changes and can result in stress in women, particularly women who pregnant by assisted reproductive technology methods (ARTs). OBJECTIVES: This study aims to determine the anxiety level during pregnancy and its relation with infertility factors in women who has been pregnant by Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) methods. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total number of 100 ARTs pregnant women who came to three infertility centers in Tehran from August to November 2009 participated in this descriptive cross sectional study. The rational for selecting the subjects was their availability to the researcher at the time of the research. Anxiety was measured by Beck Anxiety Inventory and for obtaining the infertility data, a questionnaire designed by the researcher was given to the subjects. Data were statistically analyzed using the inferential statistic of chi-square. RESULTS: Study results showed that 34 % of subjects were anxious (moderate and sever levels in total). There are significant relations between infertility duration, history of treatment failure and anxiety level (P = 0.03) (P = 0.02). There were no statistically significant relationships with regard to other variables. CONCLUSIONS: Infertility duration and history of treatment failure in ARTs pregnant women are two factors that affect the anxiety level during pregnancy.