INFERTILITY AND THE BENEFITS OF MIND/BODY TECHNIQUES

Infertile women are significantly more depressed than their fertile counterparts with depression and anxiety levels equivalent to women with cancer, heart disease or IV status (Domar, Zuttermeister, & Friedman, 1993)

Research suggests that psychological distress may impair fertility and depressive symptoms may reduce the efficacy of fertility treatments.  A number of recent studies  suggest that psychological distress can have a significant negative impact on success rates of IVF.  For example, in one study women with depressive symptoms were half as likely to conceive as women who were not depressed. In another study, 151 women were scheduled for an IVF cycle, and in those with the highest positive-affect scores, the chance of a live birth was 93% higher.

Women with a history of depression were nearly twice as likely to report infertility as women without such history. (Freeman, Garcia, & Rickles, 1983).

Women who were not depressed before starting IVF treatment had a conceptions rate twice as high as women who were depressed before treatment. (Thiering, Beaurepaire, Jones, & Saunders, 1993)

Studies conducted at Harvard Medical School on 184 women going through infertility treatments, and of those who attended a 10-week mind/body program which included relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, and stress reduction, 55% had a viable pregnancy within one year. Compared to only 20% of the control group achieving a viable pregnancy in one year (Domar et al, April 2000).

Clinical Research indicates 55% of women conceive after attending a mind body program." (Bruce Kessel, MD &Alice Domar, PhD 2004)

Mind/body treatment has been shown to both increase pregnancy rates as well as reduce psychological distress in infertility patients.