A Review of Strategies to Manage Stress, Depression and Anxiety in Infertile Couples

Backgournd: Infertility is a crisis that leads to anxiety disorders, stress and depression in infertile couples. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of various stress and depression management methods in infertile women and men. Methods: In a systematic survey of the databases Pubmed, Elsevier, Ovid, Clinicalkey, SID, Iranmedex and etc from 2005 to the present, the relevant articles were extracted and analyzed. Results: The findings show that stress management based on cognitive behavior method reduce depression and anxiety in infertile women after the final session and even after twelve-month follow-up period. Problem-focused and emotionfocused coping techniques greatly enhance the social activities of infertile couples. Group counseling interventions increase adaptation level of infertile women undergoing IVF or ICSI.Collaborative counseling by a team of midwives, gynecologists and clinical psychologist reduce perceived stress of infertility in infertile women. Conclusion: The results indicate the effectiveness of stress management techniques based on cognitive behavioral theory, problem-focused coping and emotion-driven and participatoryconsultation. So, using such techniques are recommended to reduce stress and depression of infertile couples

Keywords:

Infertility , Stress , Depression , Counseling