Psychosocial experiences in IVF and spontaneous pregnancies: a comparative study.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compare psychological well-being, perceived stress, and self-compassion in women who conceived via IVF and those with spontaneous pregnancies.

METHOD: This descriptive, comparative cross-sectional study included 50 women who conceived via IVF and 100 who conceived spontaneously. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews between July 2024 and January 2025 using standardized scales. The Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Spearman correlation analysis were used.

RESULTS

Women in the IVF group had significantly higher perceived stress and lower psychological well-being and self-compassion than those with spontaneous pregnancies (p < 0.001). In the spontaneous pregnancy group, psychological well-being was positively associated with self-compassion and negatively associated with perceived stress.

CONCLUSION

Women who conceived via IVF may benefit from comprehensive psychosocial support, particularly interventions aimed at enhancing self-compassion.