Psychological stress is related to treatment outcome in women undergoing in-vitro fertilization and Embryo transplantation

Objective: To explore whether psychological stress is related to treatment outcome in women undergoing in-vitro fertilization and embryo transplantation. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in the Reproductive Medicine Center of a university hospital in Henan. 435 infertile women undergoing in-vitro fertilization and embryo transplantation (IVF-ET) participated in the study. The basal sex hormones were measured. Self-reported questionnaire (Fertility Problem Inventory) was used to assess perceived psychological stress. Then, we separated participants into three groups according to their total FPI scores and observed their IVF treatment outcomes. Results: Higher perceived psychological stress was related to a rise of FSH and LH and dosage of GnRha, while a decrease of retrieved oocyte counts, lower high quality embryo rate and clinical pregnancy rate. The results from the logistic regression analysis showed that high psychological stress was a risk factor of pregnancy failure of IVF-ET. Conclusion: Psychological stress was related to basal sex hormones and pregnancy outcome among women undergoing in-vitro fertilization and embryo transplantation.