Skip Navigation


Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on January 21, 2005
Human Reproduction 2005 20(4):991-996; doi:10.1093/humrep/deh739
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF ) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
20/4/991    most recent
deh739v1
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (6)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Smeenk, J.M.J.
Right arrow Articles by Braat, D.D.M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Smeenk, J.M.J.
Right arrow Articles by Braat, D.D.M.
Social Bookmarking
 Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved.

Stress and outcome success in IVF: the role of self-reports and endocrine variables

J.M.J. Smeenk1,7, C.M. Verhaak2, A.J.J.M. Vingerhoets3, C.G.J. Sweep4, J.M.W.M. Merkus1, S.J. Willemsen4, A. van Minnen5, H. Straatman6 and D.D.M. Braat1

Departments of 1 Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2 Medical Psychology, 4 Chemical Endocrinology and 6 Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, PO Box 9101, NL-6500 HB Nijmegen, 5 Department of Clinical Psychology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, PO Box 9104, NL-6500 HE Nijmegen and 3 Department of Clinical Health Psychology, Tilburg University, PO Box 90153, NL-5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands

To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, HP 415, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, PO Box 9101, NL-6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Email: j.smeenk{at}obgyn.umcn.nl

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the associations between urinary levels of the stress hormones adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol during treatment with self reported stress, in order to investigate the mechanism for the previously observed negative association of anxiety and depression with the outcome of IVF/ICSI. METHODS: In a multicentre prospective cohort study, women entering their first cycle of IVF/ICSI treatment were asked to participate. From each participant nocturnal urine samples were collected; pre-treatment, before oocyte retrieval and before embryo-transfer (ET), to assess hormonal concentrations. Additionally, two questionnaires were administered before the start of the treatment to measure anxiety and depression. RESULTS: 168 women completed the questionnaires and collected at least two urine specimens. A significant positive correlation between urinary adrenaline concentrations at baseline and ET and the scores on depression at baseline were found. In women with successful treatment, lower concentrations of adrenaline at oocyte retrieval and lower concentrations of adrenaline and noradrenaline at ET, compared with unsuccessful women, were found. CONCLUSIONS: The significant positive association of adrenaline concentration with pregnancy and with depression suggested that this adrenal hormone could be one of the links in the complex relationship between psychosocial stress and outcome after IVF/ICSI.

Key words: anxiety/catecholamines/cortisol/depression/in vitro fertilization


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
Hum ReprodHome page
S.M.S. Ebbesen, R. Zachariae, M.Y. Mehlsen, D. Thomsen, A. Hojgaard, L. Ottosen, T. Petersen, and H.J. Ingerslev
Stressful life events are associated with a poor in-vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome: a prospective study
Hum. Reprod., May 22, 2009; (2009) dep185v1.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Hum ReprodHome page
A.M.E. Lintsen, C.M. Verhaak, M.J.C. Eijkemans, J.M.J. Smeenk, and D.D.M. Braat
Anxiety and depression have no influence on the cancellation and pregnancy rates of a first IVF or ICSI treatment
Hum. Reprod., May 1, 2009; 24(5): 1092 - 1098.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Hum Reprod UpdateHome page
M.F.G. Verberg, N.S. Macklon, G. Nargund, R. Frydman, P. Devroey, F.J. Broekmans, and B.C.J.M. Fauser
Mild ovarian stimulation for IVF
Hum. Reprod. Update, January 1, 2009; 15(1): 13 - 29.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Hum Reprod UpdateHome page
G.F. Homan, M. Davies, and R. Norman
The impact of lifestyle factors on reproductive performance in the general population and those undergoing infertility treatment: a review
Hum. Reprod. Update, May 1, 2007; 13(3): 209 - 223.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Hum ReprodHome page
D. M. Campagne
Should fertilization treatment start with reducing stress?
Hum. Reprod., July 1, 2006; 21(7): 1651 - 1658.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]



Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.