A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Structured Teaching on Anxiety Level of Women Undergoing in Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) in a Selected Infertility Centre

Background According to WHO, one in seven couples have problems in conceiving out of 60 to 80 million couples with the incidence similar in most countries independent of the country-s development. In India 10 to 15 % of couple were infertile as per the data available in 2000 Aim to assess the effectiveness of structured teaching on anxiety level of women undergoing IVF in a selected infertility centre. Methods Patients (N=60) were surveyed for pre procedure anxiety using the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory (SAI). For the experimental group (n=30), structured teaching was administered by the principal researcher using a self prepared pow` er point presentation on anxiety relieving strategies, counseling on various stressors and a video showing the steps of the procedure. For the control group (n=30) no structured teaching was given, the usual hospital routine of informing the patients verbally by the staff was followed. Results Both the experimental and control group were homogenous in terms of selected demographic variables. In both the groups, there was high level of anxiety before the intervention. The post test reduction in anxiety score varied from 63.07 to 53.83 in the experimental group and 60.17 to 58.67 in the control group. In experimental group there was highly significant reduction in anxiety (pless than 0.0001) post structured teaching, but in control group the level of anxiety reduction post conventional teaching was not as highly significant (pless than0.05) as in experimental group. There was no significant correlation of anxiety with any of the fourteen demographic study variables. Conclusions Anxiety can produce an adverse effect on the physiological and psychosocial aspects of infertile women who is undergoing IVF. This study strongly emphasizes the importance for providing structured teaching to patients undergoing IVF to reduce their anxiety Nurses are in a key position to extend an emotionally supportive role by providing teaching, counselling and psychotherapy.