Sleep quality, perceived stress and associated factors in women undergoing IVF treatment: short-term longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Despite limited studies in the literature, it is hypothesised that lifestyle factors are modifiable habits that have an impact on couples' fertility health. However, the relationship between sleep quality and infertility is an area that needs to be clarified. OBJECTIVE: To determine sleep quality and associated factors in women receiving in vitro fertilisation treatment and to evaluate the changes in sleep over the treatment cycle. METHODS: This is a longitudinal descriptive study conducted on 158 women in two infertility centres in Izmir, Turkey. Data were collected using the Personal Introduction Form, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Visual Analogue Stress Scale, and Physical Symptoms List. Data were collected during three different treatment periods: beginning of the in vitro fertilisation trial, oocyte pick-up day and the postembryo transfer period. RESULTS: The sleep quality score of women progressively decreased as treatment progressed (p < .001). A strong positive correlation was determined between stress and sleep quality (p < .001). Additionally, advanced age, low education level, shift work, prolonged treatment and economic distress were associated with poorer sleep quality (p < .001). In addition, breast fullness, abdominal distension, and pain (p < .001) observed until the oocyte pick-up day, as well as nausea and fatigue during the postembryo transfer period (p < .001), were identified as physical symptoms affecting sleep quality. CONCLUSION: This article provides information on sleep quality during in vitro fertilisation and guides healthcare professionals to encourage and improve women's sleep quality.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Opinions of Women Planning a Pregnancy: International Web Blogs Scanning.

Background: The unprecedented COVID-19 has infected millions of people and killed hundreds of thousands of people. A strategy to contain the spread of the disease was the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. Objective: In our study, it was determined the opinions of women who are planning to become pregnant about the COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: Blogs were used as the data source in the research, which was designed as a descriptive qualitative study. For this purpose, the expressions of 34 women identified between February and March 2021 were evaluated with directed qualitative content analysis. Results: Psychological changes, cognitive changes, and coping methods were determined as the themes of our results. This study demonstrates the value of using qualitative methods to determine the thoughts of women planning to become pregnant regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusion: For women planning pregnancy, continued research into vaccine safety and efficacy is vital, and results should be carefully investigated and handed in the right channels.

Does Experiencing Fertility Problems and Having Infertility Treatment Affect the Women Stress and Working Life? The Turkish Experience.

BACKGROUND: Infertility processis a strestfull period that effects of couple's life, especially their working life. It can be difficult for women with fertility problems to fulfill work responsibilities during infertility treatment. The current study aimed to explore effects of infertility treatment on women's stress and hence working life. There is limited literature related to effect of this treatment on women working life so this is important issue worldwide. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study and 200 women undergoing infertility treatment participated. Our participants were primary infertile working women who had received at least one-cycle of infertility treatment before being invited to be part of study. An Introductory Data and Fertility History Form, Infertility Treatment and Working Performance Questionnaire and Visual Analogue Stress Scale were administered over-3 month period. RESULTS: More than half of women (53%) reported that they experienced problems related to ask the manager for the leave because of some procedure during the infertility treatment. Fear of administrator, not being able to focuse on work, not being understood by collegues, a negative impact on career, increase in work stress were problems reported by women. Also participants reported adversity in sharing infertility treatment with male administrators. CONCLUSIONS: The study found that infertility treatment process affect women's working life negatively. Therefore health professionales should improve employers awareness about impact of infertility treatment on working life for purposs of improving professional support needed during this treatment time. Women should be encouraged to share feelings/problems they experience with employers/colleagues.

Does Hypnofertility-Based Nursing Care Affect Cortisol Levels, Fertility Preparedness, and Pregnancy Outcomes in Women Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization? A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study used Hypnofertility-based interventions to determine whether these interventions would lead to increased fertility preparedness and pregnancy outcomes and decreased cortisol levels in women undergoing In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment. This randomized, controlled, prospective study was conducted from November 2017 through March 2019 in 61 Turkish women with unexplained infertility (intervention group: 30, control group: 31). Hypnofertility-based nursing care included affirmations, visualization, imagination, and relaxation from the first day of treatment until the day of the pregnancy test. The Fertility Preparedness Scale, a saliva sample for cortisol level, and the pregnancy test results were used for data collection. Hypnofertility-based nursing care decreased the cortisol levels of women in the intervention group compared to that in the control group (p = 0.00). Though fertility preparedness was higher in the intervention group, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.13). Although interventions relieved the women during the treatment process, there was no anticipated effect on pregnancy outcomes (p = 0.75). Hypnofertility-based nursing care significantly reduce the cortisol levels, suggesting that the intervention helped women relax.

Effects of vaginal douching education on Turkish women's vaginal douching practice.

BACKGROUND: Vaginal douching (VD) is a very common practice in Turkish culture. This practice is affected by individual and cultural characteristics. PURPOSE: The aim of the research was to determine how the education based on Pender's health promotion model (HPM) affects women's decision to quit vaginal douche and the factors that cause women to continue VD practices. METHODS: The HPM guided the 2-hr education process. The sample has 58 women. RESULTS: As a result, the model education-based HPM helped 69% of women to quit VD practice. It was also determined that education affected women who performed VD to feel clean and to comply with the religion but was less effective in women who had lower education or performed VD to comply with the husband's demand. CONCLUSIONS: Finally, the study showed that the education based on HPM affected the women to change their attitude toward VD and quit it.