Mind Body Programs Improve IVF Success
Not long ago, claims that calming your body and mind would improve your chances of conceiving a child were more anecdotal than scientific. However, recent research suggests that mind body programs that develop the skills of mindfulness, relaxation, and support-seeking can help to lower the stress of infertility, and may even result in improved IVF success (Domar, Rooney, Wiegand, Orav, Alper, Berger & Nikolovski, 2011).
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is sometimes seen as a “last resort” fertility treatment, and is usually employed after a woman attempts to become pregnant by trying naturally, ovulation induction, and intrauterine insemination (Kim, Kim, Chang, Yoo, Kim & Cho, 2014). Most women who undergo IVF have already been living with infertility for some
time, and have invested significant emotional and financial resources in the process—so it’s only natural that the process of IVF often brings increased stress.
Stress and Infertility
Numerous studies indicate that women undergoing IVF experience an elevated rate of stress and psychiatric disorders, especially depressive and anxiety disorders (Boivin & Takefman, 1995, Volgsten, Svanberg, Ekselius, Lundkvist & Poromaa, 2008). The process of infertility treatments carries with it a lot of uncertainty, and uncertainty contributes to stress (Kim et al., 2014). Psychological factors are important for general wellness, and for enduring the infertility treatments: one study confirms that distress is the most common reason that women choose to discontinue IVF treatments (Domar, Smith, Conboy, Iannone & Alper, 2010).
The exact relationship between infertility and stress remains controversial. Some studies have found no relationship between stress levels and IVF success (Lintsen, Verhaak, Eijkemans, Smeenk & Braat, 2009). Yet a growing number of recent scientific studies offer evidence in support of the theory that lower stress levels can result in increased IVF success.
Mind Body Training and IVF Success
One recent study exploring the effect of a mind body program on IVF success found that women who participated in a mind body program were significantly more likely to get pregnant than a control group, who did no mind body training (Domar et al., 2011). The study, which was conducted at the Boston IVF (BIVF), involved women under 40 years old, who had never participated in a mind body program, had similar demographic and medical characteristics, and were about to start their first IVF cycle. The study included a total of 97 women: 46 participated in a Mind Body Program for Infertility, and 51 were in the control group.
The study was conducted in two cycles. In the first cycle, only 9% of the Mind Body (MB) group attended at least half of the prescribed MB sessions, and pregnancy occurred at a rate of 43% across both groups. In the second cycle, however, the results were more clear: 76% of the women in the MB group attended more than half of their prescribed sessions, which the investigators indicate was enough training for the patients to significantly improve their skills for dealing with stress. The results suggest that MBPI did have a positive impact on IVF success: the pregnancy rate for the MB group was 52%, compared with a pregnancy rate of 20% for the control group, who received no MB training.
Reducing Stress through Mind Body Program
The Mind Body Program for Infertility (MBPI), which was first developed in the 1990s, is a 10-week program that focuses on learning relaxation techniques, cognitive behavior therapy, changing negative behaviors in order to promote better health, and building social support networks. The study’s investigators propose that the primary reason for these factors to impact pregnancy rates is because of their stress-reducing qualities. Stress is generally considered to interfere with fertility because it leads to increased activity in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which regulates the body’s reaction to stress and can inhibit the release of hormones that regulate
reproduction (Li, Knox & O’Byrne, 2010).
While stress is often thought to work against fertility, it is difficult for scientists to pinpoint the exact relationship between these two complex factors. However, since the MBPI was shown to have a positive impact on pregnancy rates, it seems that there is significant evidence that women who are thinking of trying IVF could benefit from training that improves their skills in the areas of practicing relaxation, improving behavioral awareness, and seeking support.
Even if you don’t have access to a mind body program specifically designed for infertility patients, the current research suggests that generally reducing stress through other methods—such as exercise, yoga,meditation, and mindfulness—could potentially help improve the success of IVF. Regardless of the success of your IVF cycle, the skills that are promoted through mind body program can be useful for maintaining emotional health not only regarding the infertility process, but also in work, family, and any life events that your future may hold.