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Journal article
Assisted reproduction and perinatal emotional wellbeing: findings from a longitudinal study
Psychological medicine, Vol.54(16), pp.4908-4917
2024
Abstract
Background
There have been inconsistent findings for an association between assisted reproductive technology (ART) and poorer perinatal emotional wellbeing. This study is to explore whether ART is associated with increased depression and depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and parenting stress, and poorer antenatal attachment, over the perinatal period from pregnancy to 12 months postpartum.
Methods
This study drew on data collected within an ongoing cohort from 806 women including 42 who had conceived using ART, and all recruited in early pregnancy and followed to 12 months postpartum. Measures included the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, State and Trait Anxiety Inventory, Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale and Parenting Stress Index.
Results
Women who conceived with ART were no more likely to be depressed. They had lower depressive and anxiety symptoms in early pregnancy, higher antenatal attachment and lower parenting stress. However, women who conceived with ART had a significant increase in depressive and anxiety symptoms in late pregnancy which reduced in the postpartum and showed a distinct pattern compared to those who conceived naturally.
Conclusions
This study found that women who conceived with ART did not have poorer emotional wellbeing across the perinatal period. However, in late pregnancy depressive and anxiety symptoms did rise and consideration of this clinically and in future research is warranted.
Details
- Title
- Assisted reproduction and perinatal emotional wellbeing: findings from a longitudinal study
- Authors/Creators
- Megan Galbally - 1School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, AustraliaIrene Bobevski - Monash UniversityKaren Wynter - Monash UniversityBeverley Vollenhoven - Monash University
- Publication Details
- Psychological medicine, Vol.54(16), pp.4908-4917
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Number of pages
- 10
- Identifiers
- 991005741584907891
- Copyright
- © The Author(s), 2025.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Health Futures Institute
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Citation topics
- 1 Clinical & Life Sciences
- 1.72 Obstetrics & Gynecology
- 1.72.1072 Perinatal Mental Health
- Web Of Science research areas
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Psychology, Clinical
- ESI research areas
- Psychiatry/Psychology