Tendencies of Depression and Anxiety are Highly Prevalent among Women with Recurrent Pregnancy Loss and Infertility

Background: International studies have shown that depression and anxiety levels are high in RPL patients.

Objective:
Is the prevalence of anxiety and depression higher for patients with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) compared to women with infertility?

Methods: Anxiety and depression comparison of the two groups with each other and to international scores. N=61.

Assessment tools: 1. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and 2. State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

Results: The comparison between the two groups revealed no significant differences in depression or anxiety levels.

None of the RPL patients or patients with infertility had depression scores. The STAI average for both patients may indicate heightened state of anxiety. Frequency data analyses results for RPL patients are:

100% have never considered suicide. 91% are hopeful towards future.

83% report being lost. 75% are content; report being scared. 67% feel irritated; feel restless; tense; have hard time making decisions; have feelings of guilt.

For patients with infertility:

88% have never considered suicide; are hopeful towards future. 84% feel restless 76% always blame themselves; don’t believe they look worse than before; feel content; irritated; 72% feel lost.

68% are not tired; don’t feel scared; have hard time making decisions.

Conclusions: There is no significant difference in anxiety and depression levels between RPL patients and patients with infertility. Anxiety level in RPL patients and patients with infertility is higher compared to the anxiety levels reported in international studies, while major depression is not significantly higher in both cases. Several tendencies can be identified as leading depression and anxiety symptoms among both groups, such as feeling of guilt or inability to make decisions. At the same time, overwhelming majority of the respondents feel hopeful.