The effect of relaxation techniques to ease the stress in infertile women

BACKGROUND: Infertility causes psychological and emotional tension in the couples and makes severe stress on infertile men and women. Relaxation technique is one of the methods that reduces the stress and can balance the human’s emotions. This study aimed to determine the effect of relaxation on the infertile women’s stress score. METHODS: This was a semi-experimental and clinical trial study. Participants randomly divided into two groups. At the beginning, the stress scores were assessed in both groups using Newton's infertility stress questionnaire. The participants’ stress scores were evaluated and then, the relaxation technique was implemented on the intervention group. This technique was performed in twelve sessions. All the questionnaires were completed under supervision of the researcher after embryo was transferred to the uterus (after 2 weeks) and before conducting the pregnancy test. RESULTS: Independent t-test showed that the total stress score did not have a significant difference in groups before the intervention (p > 0.05) whereas independent t-test indicated a significant difference in stress scores between the two groups after the intervention (p < 0.05). Stress score was higher in the control group in comparison with the intervention group. CONCLUSIONS: Relaxation technique can reduce the stress score in infertile women as a complementary and alternative medicine method.