NCT00989053

The Effect of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) Treatment on Affective Symptoms and Fertility Treatment Outcome in Women Undergoing in Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

The Effect of SSRI Treatment on Affective Symptoms and Fertility Treatment Outcome in Women Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization for Unexplained Infertility - a Prospective Placebo-Controlled Study.

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 120 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center · Other Government
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years – 45 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Women undergoing IVF show a high prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, stress has harmful consequences on IVF and pregnancy outcomes. An immunological cascade was suggested to be involved in the process. Treatment in this setting is usually psychotherapy rather than pharmacotherapy, despite reasonable biological evidence suggesting beneficial influence of antidepressant therapy on pregnancy and well-being. Moreover, pharmacotherapy is more available and affordable than psychotherapy in the public health system. The investigators suggest to study the efficacy of antidepressant treatment in women undergoing IVF treatment, presenting with mild mood symptoms. The investigators hypothesize that treatment will result in a greater attenuation of affective symptoms, as well as in higher pregnancy success rates. Furthermore, certain immunological stress-reactive factors, may prove to be the biological mechanism underlying these effects.

Conditions

• Depression
• Anxiety
• In Vitro Fertilization

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	escitalopram	10 mg/d for a duration of 8 weeks
DRUG	placebo	1 pill per day for 8 weeks

Timeline

• Start date: 2010-01-01
• Primary completion: 2012-01-01
• Completion: 2012-01-01
• First posted: 2009-10-02
• Last updated: 2009-10-02

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Israel