Do combined psychological stress examinations predict pregnancy outcome in an assisted reproductive technology program?

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION To investigate prospectively if the pregnancy outcome in infertile women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) is predictable by a combination of psychological stress examinations on the day of embryo/blastocyst transfer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 2012 to May 2012, 114 women aged 42 years old or less underwent transfer of morphologically-good embryo/blastocyst(s) in the present in vitro fertilization (IVF) center. Immediately before the transfer, salivary secretion was obtained and frozen. α-amylase and cortisol concentrations were quantified using biochemical assays. In addition, patients were asked to answer General Health Questionnaire 28 (GHQ28) and Zung's Self Rating Depression Scale (SDS) following transfer. The results were compared between the pregnant group and non-pregnant group. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the age of the infertile couples between the pregnant group and non-pregnant group as well as body mass index of the infertile women. The GHQ28 and SDS scores were similar between the two groups, as were the salivary α-amylase and cortisol concentrations. CONCLUSION: This prospective study failed to demonstrate the predictivity of the pregnancy outcome by psychological stress examinations in infertile women in an ART program, even though these tests were used in combination.