Mental Health Across the Conception Journey: Trying To Conceive Without Treatment, Considering Treatment, and with Treatment.

BACKGROUND

While it is well established that trying to conceive while experiencing infertility and undergoing fertility treatment is associated with anxiety, little is known about the mental health toll of trying to conceive without fertility treatment. Minimal contact with the healthcare system while trying to conceive without treatment contributes to low rates of detection and support for this population.

OBJECTIVE

This research aims to provide formative insights into the prevalence of mental health distress and desire for emotional support among people who are trying to conceive without treatment, and how this compares to people who are considering or using fertility treatment.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included 3,458 US-based individuals who used Maven, a comprehensive digital platform for reproductive and women's health. Descriptive statistics and bivariate tests were used to determine differences in prevalence of depression, anxiety, conception-specific anxiety, and interest in receiving emotional support at various stages of the trying to conceive pathway.

RESULTS

Users trying to conceive without treatment, considering treatment, and using treatment screened positive at comparable rates for depression (4.1%, 4.2%, 4.6%; p = 0.82), generalized anxiety (7.5%, 8.9%, 8.8%; p = 0.77), and conception-specific anxiety (22.0%, 23.5%, 20.4%; p = 0.13). Interest in receiving emotional support was lowest in people trying to conceive without treatment, higher among people considering treatment, and highest among people using treatment (32.0%, 34.6%, 39.5%; p = 0.005), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

People trying to conceive without treatment had comparable rates of anxiety and depression to users considering or undergoing treatment. Across all groups, more than 30% of users reported interest in support for their emotional well-being. Primary care providers and digital health platforms can screen and support this population.