Impact of a group mind/body intervention on pregnancy rates in IVF patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if women who were randomized to a mind/body program before starting their first IVF cycle would have higher pregnancy rates than control subjects. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, prospective study. SETTING: Private academically affiliated infertility center. PATIENT(S): A total of 143 women aged≤40 years who were about to begin their first IVF cycle. INTERVENTION(S): Subjects were randomized to a ten-session mind/body program (MB) or a control group and followed for two IVF cycles. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Clinical pregnancy rate. RESULT(S): Only 9% of the MB participants had attended at least one-half of their sessions at cycle 1 start. Pregnancy rates for cycle 1 were 43% for all subjects; 76% of the MB subjects had attended at least one-half of their sessions at cycle 2 start. Pregnancy rates for cycle 2 were 52% for MB and 20% for control. CONCLUSION(S): MB participation was associated with increased pregnancy rates for cycle 2, prior to which most subjects had attended at least half of their sessions.