The use of integrative medical services to address psychological concerns around infertility in an Indian academic medical centre

Abstract

Background Alternative and complementary therapies have been gaining popularity as ways to reduce anxiety in patients. Aim: This study aimed to assess whether yoga and meditation could decrease the severity of anxiety in Indian women diagnosed with infertility Study. Setting and Design: This was a retrospective data analysis of anxiety score of 354 women undergoing treatment at a tertiary infertility hospital between January 2016 and December 2018. Materials and Method: Women participated in group yoga, meditation and counselling therapy intervention during their treatment period. A self-reported questionnaire that used the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 criteria measured the participants' severity of anxiety at the start of and again at the end of the intervention. Statistical Analysis Used: Demographic analysis and a two-tailed paired t-test were applied between groups. Results: The results indicated that there was a statistically significant mean reduction (7.3 ± 2.7) in the anxiety scores of the participants between entry (12.94 ± 2.65) and following exposure (5.39 ± 1.99) to the intervention (P 6 sessions (7.10 ± 2.64) (P > 0.05). Among the participants that experienced mild anxiety at baseline (n = 43), 72.1% (n = 31) reported experiencing minimal anxiety following the intervention (P < 0.0001). Among those that experienced moderate anxiety at baseline (n = 213), 32.4% (n = 69) reported experiencing minimal anxiety post-intervention (P < 0.0001). Participants who expressed severe anxiety at baseline (n = 94, 26.6%), reported experiencing minimal anxiety (13.8% [n = 13)], mild anxiety (81.9% [n = 77]) and moderate anxiety (4.3% [n = 4]) after exposure to the intervention (P < 0.0001). None of the participants reported experiencing severe anxiety post-intervention. Conclusion: The benefits of alternative anxiety-reduction therapies for women diagnosed with infertility have been demonstrated in this study. These therapies can be used to complement the routine treatment of such patients.

Keywords

• anxiety
• complementary therapy
• in vitro fertilisation
• positive reinforcement
• yoga