Infertility-related stress and quality of life in women experiencing concurrent reproductive trauma

Abstract

Purpose To compare differences in infertility-related stress and quality of life (QOL) among women with infertility and concurrent reproductive trauma, defined as pregnancy loss during the infertility experience. Materials and Methods We used a descriptive, cross-sectional study design to recruit 205 women who underwent infertility treatments from infertility-related Facebook support groups and pages. Participants completed the Copenhagen Multi-center Psychosocial Infertility Fertility Problem Stress Scale, the Fertility Quality of Life tool, and a supplemental infertility demographic form. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), univariate ANOVA, and eta squared. Statistical significance was evaluated using a Bonferroni adjusted alpha = .05/7 = .007. Results Participants with concurrent reproductive trauma had significantly higher social stress (p < .001), and significantly lower emotional QOL (p = .003) than women with infertility alone. Although not statistically significant, participants with concurrent reproductive trauma reported higher personal and marital stress scores and lower mind/body, relational, and social QOL scores than women with infertility alone. Conclusions Women with concurrent reproductive trauma may need psychological support to combat the emotional distress of pregnancy loss during infertility treatment.

Keywords

• pregnancy loss
• infertility
• infertility-related stress
• quality of life
• reproductive trauma