What Are the Effective Psychosocial Interventions for Relieving Anxiety in Infertile Women?: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: This study aimed to systematically review the literature on psychosocial interventions implemented for infertile women and to meta-analyze the effects of various interventions on anxiety relief. The objective of this study was to understand the efficacy of psychosocial interventions for relieving anxiety in infertile. Methods: Using electronic databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycARTICLES), 19 studies were selected and used for meta-analysis. To estimate the effect size, a meta-analysis of the studies was performed using RevMan 5.3. Results: Among psychosocial interventions, mind-body intervention (standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.48; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.78, -0.19; p<.001; I² = 70%) was effective in relieving anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy (standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.72; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -1.31, -0.13; p<.001; I² = 72%) was effective in relieving anxiety. Conclusions: It was confirmed that psycho-social interventions (e.g., mind-body therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy) had a positive impact on anxiety relief in infertile women. Among psycho-social interventions, mind-body therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy were most effective in relieving anxiety.