Impact of group psychological interventions on pregnancy rates in infertile women.

OBJECTIVE To determine the efficacy of two different group psychological interventions on viable pregnancy rates in women experiencing infertility of less than 2 years' duration. DESIGN Prospective, controlled, single-blind, randomized study. SETTING Large tertiary-care teaching hospital. PATIENT(S) One hundred eighty-four women who had been trying to get pregnant for 1 to 2 years. INTERVENTION(S) Participants were randomized into a 10-session cognitive-behavioral group, a standard support group, or a routine care control group. They were followed for 1 year. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Viable pregnancy. RESULT(S) Sixty-four [corrected] women discontinued participation in the study within the first year. There were a total of 47 in the cognitive-behavioral group, 48 in the support group, and 25 in the control group. There were statistically significant differences between participants in the two intervention groups versus the control group. CONCLUSION(S) Group psychological interventions appear to lead to increased pregnancy rates in infertile women.