A review of infertile couples' mental health and digital technologies in the COVID-۱۹ epidemic

Background:Today, all societies are facing the COVID-۱۹ epidemic. All countries have taken steps to reduce the spread of the virus and the effects of viral infections. Covid-۱۹ epidemic affects the course of some treatments. One of these cases was to postpone infertility treatments. This study examined the mental health of infertile patients whose treatment was delayed due to the COVID-۱۹ epidemic.Method:Academic and step-by-step searches for the purpose of studying the PubMed /Medline, Googol Scolar were reviewed during ۲۰۱۹-۲۰۲۱. In first ۷۰ articles were found and finally ۱۶ papers were selected based on incaution in criteria. English and Persian articles with the same population and aim were included. Articles that focused exclusively on theories, case-report, were excluded.Result:There is a research shows that people are very upset about the cancellation of infertility treatment because of COVID-۱۹. Patients appraised fertility clinic closure as having potential for a more negative than positive impact on their lives, and to be very or extremely uncontrollable and stressful (P ≤ ۰.۰۰۱). Studies in this context have all confirmed a decline in mental health and quality of life by suspending infertility treatment. In the multivariate analysis, COVID-۱۹-related anxiety (B = ۰.۱۴۵, P = ۰.۰۴) and disagreement with treatment suspension (B = –۰.۴۴, P = ۰.۰۰۱) were found to be significantly associated with patients' psychological distress. Background characteristics of patients did not contribute significantly to their distress. Of course, it should be noted that in a number of these studies, several psychosocial variables were found that showed a positive effect on these outcomes; Therefore, these findings can be used as a psychosocial protective factor to help people deal with them.Conclusion:Because infertility is a stressful event, infertility can be detrimental to people's mental health, so infertility affects people's mental health. Therefore, assessing the mental health status of infertile people, especially during the Covid ۱۹ crisis, should be a priority in order to improve their health status and subsequently improve the consequences of treatment. All of this raises the need to design and use assessment resources to deal with psychological problems and counseling infertile couples using digital technologies in the context of the COVID-۱۹ epidemic. Infertility treatment centers should systematically offer these couples adequate psychological counseling to improve mental health

Keywords:

infertility , fertility , mental health , digital technologies , covid ۱۹