Effects of psychological intervention for Korean infertile women under In Vitro Fertilization on infertility stress, depression, intimacy, sexual satisfaction and fatigue

This quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was conducted to evaluate the effects of a psychological intervention program for 50 women with infertility (experimental group: 26, control group: 24) utilizing assisted reproductive technology. The experimental group received six four-hour sessions of intervention, with outcomes measured at baseline and four weeks post-intervention. The experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in marital intimacy (z = 6.528, p < .001) and sexual satisfaction (z = 3.148, p = .003) and significant reductions in depression (z = - 4.850, p < .001) and fatigue (z = - 4.597, p < .001). Thus, the program can alleviate depression and fatigue. Further, psychological intervention centered on the marital and personal dimensions may improve marital intimacy and sexual satisfaction.