Depression and its coping strategies in infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer

Objective To know prevalence of depression, its coping strategies and risk factors among infertile women with in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Methods Infertile women with IVF-ET were interviewed with center for epidemiologic studies short depression scale (CES-D10) and an abbreviated version of the COPE inventory (brief COPE), and their basal sex hormone values and estradiol ( E2 ) on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) administration were monitored, as well as the number of oocytes yielded was counted. Results Prevalence of depression was 20.6% in infertile women, higher in those with more than eight years of marriage, infertility for more than six years, and receiving treatment for at least three years. Risk of depression among the women of infertility with monthly family income less than 3000 yuan was 14 times as those with more than 3000 yuan and risk of depression among them due to the factors of their husbands was 2/5 as those not due to men's. Depressive symptoms in the women increased with increasing of their basal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) level, counted egg number and scores of denial items. Occurrence of their depressive symptoms decreased with higher basal E2 levels, and scores of substance use and humor. Conclusions Some infertile women with IVF-ET do have depression and preventive intervention should be aimed at related factors for depression to improve their psychological health. Key words: Fertilization in vitro; Mood disorders; Adaptation, psychological