Psychological and psychophysiological determinants of the number of in vitro fertilization cycles in women

Abstract

Infertility poses a major challenge to global public health, exerting a considerable psychological impact on millions of women. Although assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), particularly in vitro fertilization (IVF), make a primary treatment option, the number of required cycles can vary, leading to substantial emotional and financial strain. Patient care optimization necessitates a better understanding of the factors affecting treatment duration. This work aims to identify psychological and psychophysiological predictors associated with the number of IVF cycles in women. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 120 women undergoing IVF for infertility treatment. The dependent variable was the total number of previous IVF cycles. The independent variables encompassed psychological parameters, such as levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and reproductive motives, as well as psychophysiological markers, such as alpha rhythm frequency and amplitude, presence of irritative changes in the form of diffuse asynchronous beta activity, and working memory and inhibitory control values. The sample comprised female residents of the Kemerovo Region aged 34.45±4.25 years, among them 69 women with no previous IVF attempts and 51 undergoing repeated cycles. A negative binomial regression analysis revealed that several psychological and psychophysiological factors predicted the number of IVF cycles with statistical significance. The model demonstrated good data fit, confirming that the included predictors collectively explained the variability in the number of attempts (p < 0.001). The key predictors associated with an increased number of IVF cycles included: elevated alpha rhythm amplitude, higher alpha rhythm frequency, presence of irritative changes (diffuse asynchronous beta activity), higher levels of psycho-emotional distress, a greater number of omissions in the go/no-go task, and older age. Other demographic, clinical, psychological, and psychophysiological factors assessed showed no statistical significance. Our findings underscore the prognostic value of specific psychological states and psychophysiological patterns in determining the number of IVF cycles that women undergo. Identifying these predictors can facilitate the development of more personalized treatment strategies and targeted supportive interventions for women facing infertility treatment challenges.