Emotional stress and reproduction: what do fertility patients believe?

Olivia Negris, Angela Lawson, Dannielle Brown, Christopher Warren, Isabel Galic, Alexandria Bozen, Amelia Swanson, Tarun Jain*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: To better understand the beliefs about a causal role of emotional stress maintained by women seeking fertility care. Methods: A cross-sectional, self-administered survey was distributed to fertility care patients at an academic fertility center in Illinois. Of 5000 consecutive patients, 1460 completed the survey and were included in the study sample. Results: Members of our sample (N = 1460) were between 20 and 58 years (mean = 36.2, SD = 4.4). Most respondents were White (72.2%), were in a heterosexual relationship (86.8%), and felt that their physician understood their cultural background (79.4%). Of the sample, 28.9% believed emotional stress could cause infertility, 69.0% believed emotional stress could reduce success with fertility treatment, and 31.3% believed that emotional stress could cause a miscarriage, with evidence of significant racial differences. Less than a quarter (23.8%) of the sample believed emotional stress had no impact on fertility. Lower household income and educational attainment were associated with a greater belief in emotional stress as a causative factor in reproduction with regard to infertility, fertility treatment, and miscarriage. Conclusion: The majority of women seeking fertility care believe emotional stress could reduce the success of fertility treatment. Furthermore, beliefs about emotional stress and reproduction significantly differ based on race/ethnicity, income, and education. Particular attention should be paid to specific groups of women who may more likely not be aware of the lack of a proven biological relationship between emotional stress and reproduction.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)877-887
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics
Volume38
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2021

Funding

The authors thank Jocelyn Dorney, and Deepthi Devireddy for their assistance with survey design.

Keywords

  • Fertility
  • Internet resources
  • MAR
  • Medically assisted reproduction
  • Racial disparities
  • Stress

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Genetics(clinical)
  • Genetics
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Developmental Biology

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