Effects of Guided imagery on Stress and Anxiety of Women Receiving in Vitro Fertilization

Bae, Choon Hee; Chang, Soon Bok; Kim, Sue; Kang, Inn Soo

doi:2011.17.2.178

Korean J Women Health Nurs > Volume 17(2); 2011 > Article

In Vitro

Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing 2011;17(2):178-186.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2011.17.2.178

Effects of Guided imagery on Stress and Anxiety of Women Receiving in Vitro Fertilization

Choon Hee Bae, Soon Bok Chang, Sue Kim, Inn Soo Kang

¹College of Nursing, Yonsei University, Korea. choo-n@hanmail.net
²College of Medicine, Kwandong University, Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to identify effects of guided imagery on stress including cognitive, affective, marital and social, and anxiety among women receiving in vitro fertilization (IVF).
METHODS
Data were collected between April, 21 and June, 17, 2008. The participants in this study were 57 women (26 for the experimental group, 31 for the control group) receiving IVF for primary or secondary infertility in one of the outpatient infertility centers in Seoul. The guided imagery (Suk, 2001) was provided through audio CD to the experimental group by themselves 8 minutes per day for 2 weeks. Data were analyzed by SPSS 12.0 windows program.
RESULTS
After guided imagery, the experimental group showed significantly lower affective stress and total stress scores. Anxiety scores increased significantly in the control group, but not in the experimental group after treatment.
CONCLUSION
The findings suggest that guided imagery is an effective nursing intervention for reducing stress especially affective stress and anxiety among infertile women receiving IVF in outpatient infertility center.

Key Words: Guided imagery; In vitro fertilization; Stress; Anxiety