Many women experience infertility. According to the CDC, approximately one fifth of heterosexual women aged between 15 and 49 years old are unable to conceive even after trying for a year.

When a woman struggles to get pregnant, stress and depression are common. Researchers are now discovering that infertility may also negatively impact mental health later in life.

A study that was presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s annual meeting showed that women in their middle age who experienced infertility were more likely to develop depression and anxiety.

Infertility and its relationship to mental health

Researchers found that women who reported having experienced infertility problems were more likely than those without to experience depression before menopause. Even more at risk were women who were involuntarily childless and were unable to have children. Both groups had an increased chance of anxiety during the menopausal transition.

Researchers used data from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, a long-term research project that examines the health of women during their middle years.

The study participants ranged in age from 42 to 52 and were not currently pregnant. They were also not receiving hormone therapy. 600 of the study participants reported having experienced fertility problems, while 127 had not consented to have children.

Each patient was assessed at 16 visits following a baseline visit. Researchers also recorded where the participants were at their menopause. The findings were adjusted to account for variables such as insurance, oral contraceptives, education, race and marital status.

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Most striking was the higher risk of anxiety and depression in midlife women with infertility problems. There were no significant differences in the results for women who had experienced vaginal symptoms or hot flashes before menopause.

Key Takeaways From The Study

Dr. Victoria Fitz was one of the study's authors and stated to MedPage today that these results suggest that OB/GYN doctors and primary care physicians should screen midlife patients with infertility for depression.

Fitz stated that "I don’t believe I have ever considered infertility to be a sign of depression." It could be considered a risk factor if more studies are done.

Fitz noted some limitations in the study. First, participants did not provide any data. The classification of infertile or involuntarily unborn was solely based on their self-reported data. Researchers did not have any additional information about the causes of infertility among these patients.

Fitz wanted to conduct future research and examine the experiences of women who have tried fertility technologies such as IVF. Fitz also wanted to look into the causes of infertility in order to gain a better understanding of why this might lead people to be more anxious or depressed.

While it is not often mentioned, the current political climate around reproductive health will make issues related to anxiety and depression even more complex.

Even after you have made the decision to give up, it is not easy to deal with infertility problems. As we face all the changes midlife brings, it is important to be aware of potential mental health risks.

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By: Perry Carpenter
Title: Women Who Experienced Infertility Have Higher Risk Of Midlife Depression And Anxiety
Sourced From: www.suggest.com/infertility-increased-midlife-anxiety-depression/2696988/
Published Date: Wed, 07 Dec 2022 22:45:00 +0000

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