Creating Affiliations, Learning, and Mindfulness for In vitro Fertilization Patients (CALM IVF): a Clinical Trial

Overview

Journal F S Rep

Specialty Reproductive Medicine

Date 2023 Mar 24

PMID 36959953

Authors

Rachel M Whynott

Karen M Summers

Rachel B Mejia

Lisa S Segre

Ginny Ryan

Stacey A Pawlak

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: Determine if group psychoeducational support can improve in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients' quality of life (QoL).

Design: Randomized controlled trial (NCT04048772).

Setting: University-affiliated IVF clinic.

Patients: Women (n = 76) and male partners undergoing initial autologous IVF cycle from August 2019, to December 2020.

Interventions: Couples were assigned to groups based on projected oocyte retrieval date. Groups were randomly assigned to the control or intervention arm. Clinic closures because of the COVID-19 pandemic delayed treatment for a portion of participants. Groups were conducted in person before and virtually during the pandemic.

Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was a change in fertility quality of life (FertiQoL) from baseline to 3 days after retrieval. Secondary outcomes were changes in depression (Patient Health Questionnaire 9), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7), resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience scale), IVF knowledge scores, and the likelihood of return to treatment.

Results: Knowledge scores among women in Creating Affiliations, Learning, and Mindfulness (CALM) for IVF groups significantly increased compared with control (mean difference 13.19 [3.53 - 22.84]) before the pandemic. During the pandemic, women in CALM IVF had significant improvement in the social FertiQoL score compared with controls (10.42 [1.79 - 19.04]). Compared with controls, male CALM IVF participants had significantly greater improvement in total FertiQoL (mean difference 6.68 [0.39 - 12.98]), treatment FertiQoL (8.26 [0.69 - 15.82]), and resilience (Connor-Davidson 1.13 [0.54 - 1.72]). Immediate return to care did not significantly differ between arms.

Conclusions: For women undergoing IVF, group psychoeducational programs can improve IVF knowledge and social QoL during a pandemic. Participation in a group psychoeducational program can improve QoL and resilience in IVF dyad male partners.

Clinical Trial Registration Number: Trial registration NCT04048772.

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