Prevalence of psychological problems among individuals and couples during assisted reproductive technology(ART) treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The psychological problems of infertile couples deserve more attention given the impact on pregnancy outcomes.

Aims: This systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to assess the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress in couples during assisted reproductive treatment.

Materials and methods: We conducted searches on PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from the outset until September 2024. Random-effects models were conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence of anxiety, depression and stress. Subgroup analyses were performed to seek potential sources of heterogeneity. The Egger's test was utilized to assess publication bias.

Results: The meta-analysis included 40 studies involving 16,042 participants. The pooled prevalence of anxiety, depression and stress symptoms in infertile women were 48.0% (95%CI 36.6%-59.9%), 35.6% (95%CI 28.0%-43.3%) and 52.2% (95%CI 13.2-91.1%) respectively, while those in infertile men were 28.4% (95%CI 15.4%-43.4%) , 18.6% (95%CI 13.4%-23.8%) and 47.2% (95%CI 16.1%-78.4%) respectively. Subgroup analysis revealed the differences in country economic level, continent, assessment instrument and sample size.

Conclusions: Many couples experienced anxiety, depression and stress symptoms during assisted reproductive therapy. It is important for healthcare professionals to develop and implement effective strategies for the prevention and intervention of psychological issues.