School of Nursing & Graduate Institute of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
J Clin Nurs. 2011 Aug;20(15-16):2217-23. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2011.03730.x. Epub 2011 Jun 14.
To compare the anxiety levels of Taiwanese women who continued with in vitro fertilisation treatment and those who discontinued treatment post-in vitro fertilisation failure.
In vitro fertilisation is perceived as the last resort of infertility treatment. The impact of unsuccessful in vitro fertilisation treatment on psychological function has been documented; however, research comparing the levels of anxiety of women who cease and those who continue in vitro fertilisation post-failure is scant.
A cross-sectional comparative study design was used.
Fifty-eight women in whom in vitro fertilisation had failed within the previous year were recruited to this study from a medical centre in northern Taiwan; 34 women continued treatment and 24 discontinued treatment. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to assess their levels of anxiety.
Women in the group who continued treatment exhibited higher state and trait anxiety (TA) than women in the group who discontinued treatment (p < 0·005). The number and frequency of in vitro fertilisation cycles were significantly higher in the group who continued treatment than in those who did not. A strong positive correlation between state and TA (r = 0·8, p < 0·01) existed in both groups.
Both groups exhibited considerable levels of anxiety; however, the women who continued in vitro fertilisation treatment had higher levels of anxiety than those who discontinued treatment.
The level of anxiety of women who decide to continue in vitro fertilisation treatment should be assessed as early as possible and counselling services provided to women who experience in vitro fertilisation failure should concentrate more on relieving psychological distress. One year after discontinuing treatment, some women still experience considerable anxiety; therefore, the care and assistance provided to these women need to be continually evaluated.
比较继续进行体外受精治疗和体外受精失败后停止治疗的台湾女性的焦虑水平。
体外受精被视为不孕症治疗的最后手段。未成功的体外受精治疗对心理功能的影响已有记录；然而，比较停止和继续进行体外受精治疗的女性焦虑水平的研究很少。
采用横断面比较研究设计。
从台湾北部的一家医疗中心招募了 58 名在过去一年中体外受精失败的女性参加本研究；34 名女性继续治疗，24 名女性停止治疗。使用状态-特质焦虑量表评估她们的焦虑水平。
继续治疗组的女性表现出更高的状态和特质焦虑（TA）（p < 0·005）。继续治疗组的体外受精周期数量和频率明显高于停止治疗组。两组的状态和 TA 之间存在很强的正相关（r = 0·8，p < 0·01）。
两组都表现出相当高的焦虑水平；然而，继续进行体外受精治疗的女性比停止治疗的女性有更高的焦虑水平。
应尽早评估决定继续进行体外受精治疗的女性的焦虑水平，并为体外受精失败的女性提供咨询服务，重点缓解心理困扰。停止治疗一年后，一些女性仍经历相当大的焦虑；因此，需要不断评估对这些女性的护理和援助。
