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AMONG COUPLES BEING treated for infertility, depression in the male partner was linked to lower pregnancy chances according to a study funded by the American National Institute of Health (NIH).
This was among a number of findings that were discovered by American researchers when they looked at couples being treated for infertility.
The study, which appears in international journal Fertility and Sterility, also linked a class of antidepressants known as non-selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (non-SSRIs) to a higher risk of early pregnancy loss among females being treated for infertility.
SSRIs, another class of antidepressants, were not linked to pregnancy loss. Neither depression in the female partner nor use of any other class of antidepressant were linked to lower pregnancy rates.
“Our study provides infertility patients and their physicians with new information to consider when making treatment decisions,” said study author Esther Eisenberg, MD, of the Fertility and Infertility Branch at NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), which funded the study.
Citing previous studies, the authors noted that 41% of women seeking fertility treatments have symptoms of depression.
In addition, a study of men seeking IVF treatments found that nearly 50% experienced depression. The authors conducted the current study to evaluate the potential influence of depression in couples seeking non-IVF treatments.
The researchers combined data from two previous studies funded by NICHD’s Reproductive Medicine Network.
One study compared the effectiveness of two ovulation-inducing drugs for establishment of pregnancy and live birth in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
The other study compared the effectiveness of three ovulation-inducing drugs at achieving pregnancy and live birth in couples with unexplained infertility.
In each study, men and women responded to a questionnaire designed to screen for depression. Only the women were asked whether they were taking any antidepressants.
From the two studies, the researchers analysed data for 1,650 women and 1,608 men. Among the women, 5.96% were rated as having active major depression, compared to 2.28% of the men.
Women using non-SSRIs were roughly 3.5 times as likely to have a first trimester pregnancy loss, compared to those not using antidepressants.
Couples in which the male partner had major depression were 60% less likely to conceive and have a live birth than those in which the male partner did not have major depression.
The study did not include couples who underwent in vitro fertilisation because the authors thought that this procedure could potentially overcome some possible effects of depression, such as reduced sexual desire and lower sperm quality.
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Personally, I lifted myself out of my own ongoing depression when I reconnected with God, not through any church system or organisation, infact. . I told no one else & didn’t discuss my feelings with anyone, it took some time to get my head wrapped around it all but eventually I found just a one to one relationship with God lifted my spirit & gave me hope & a new perspective on life & living.
@Blind Faith: good to hear. Glad things are going better. I think it’s good to believe in things bigger than ourselves
@Alan Carmody: Agreed.
@Alan Carmody: Cheers Alan, I studied everything I found, every philosophy, religion a wacky idea out there & couldnt find any answers to my plight, so for me it was a case of stripping away all the crap & going back to basics.
@Blind Faith: I’m the same, have studied all sorts like yourself but there is no knowledge that remedies the existential hardships and tragedies we all face. The pursuit of knowledge maybe. I find making art and music to be my panacea, but I also think that connects to the ineffable, because when I’m really enjoying it, I’m not really me anymore.
I believe as human beings we have a religious capacity just like we have a capacity to walk and talk and think and I think modern, secular society does little to engage it and that’s part of the reason why people are so often miserable these days, that and social isolation. While I have issues with the history of the Catholic church, I’m not down on religion per se and often find atheists insufferable know-it-alls.
@Alan Carmody: Ditto, art & music are very important to me, I earn my living through art. What I struggled with in the beginning was how to curb my own ego and understand that all these worldly things, be they material goods or other objects of desire are like us, only temporary and that there is a greater, much more important reason for living through all of this. Atheists just do as they please which is fueling this narcissistic society.
@Blind Faith: All the more reason to repeal the 8th
@Blind Faith: An imaginary being cured your depression. Wonder are there any detailed studies on the effect of placebos generally in lessening/curing depression
@Biglad O’Malley: I’m sure there are people on both sides of the abortion debate who either do or don’t believe in God. Your comments come from a place well beyond the height of ignorance and further substantiate my view of atheists as narrow minded narcissists.
@Blind Faith: Belief in fictional beings is narrow minded, I try to stay as open to the wonders of nature as possible.
What a cheery title.
Here we go again.
Shouldn’t this heading say Depression in couples may lead to… ?
One more little cut – sure what’s the harm…
@Nydon: The heading is more accurate than yours.
Are you really this sensitive?
@Brendan O’Brien: Typical contradictory position presented to men regularly. “Men should be thought to talk more about their feelings” – oh don’t be such a sensitive wuss”
Its good if those feelings have some basis in reality: if those particular men aren’t just indulging in feeling sorry for themselves and blaming women for everything.
Also on the journal today a pathetic opinion piece about so called lad culture leading to so called “toxic masculinity”. Is it any wonder young males are depressed when when the likes of the journal are peddling rubbish like that? Blame men for everything and see what good it does.
@Jimmy Corkhill: But toxic masculinity does exist and is a problem.
Having said that, I see no point in publishing an article based on this particular study: thousands of papers are published in science journals every week, and I would have thought that many would be more interesting and relevant than this.
@Brendan O’Brien: Welcome to the anti male and anti white propaganda machine Brendo.
@I like this cushion: So, the cushion that you like is self-delusion.
@Brendan O’Brien: Yeah good one mate. Very clever rebuttal. *slow clap*
@Brendan O’Brien: “thousands of papers” ? What papers??
@I like this cushion: Not a rebuttal. Jut a fact.
@Brendan O’Brien: what fact I’m still waiting on these papers ??
@Brendan O’Brien: Take note of the coming reactions to yours and my comment, if you had any kind of awareness, you’d note that you apparently, are the deluded one x x x x
@Michael Collins: There were about 28,100 active scholarly peer-reviewed English-language journals in late 2014 (plus a further 6450 non-English-language journals), collectively publishing about 2.5 million articles a year.
@Brendan O’Brien: So you gonna head over to your buddy’s article and get absolutely slated as per usual? Must be tiresome, holding such unpopular views all of the time. Any normal person might begin to self reflect and reconsider their worldview but not you. You’re too far gone down the rabbit hole of bullshit now, I’m starting to think that you’re a total lost cause. Totally subverted and demoralised. Totally cucked.
@I like this cushion: Do you mean that because many other anonymous profiles on this website share your views, they must be correct?
@I like this cushion: You losers huddle together here for warmth and comfort.
@Brendan O’Brien: that’s an article of journals being published but where are the papers refering to male depression and “toxic masculinity”?
@I like this cushion: I think it’s a bit unmanly that you and your ilk can’t read an article you disagree with without losing your shiit. Grow a pair ffs
@Michael Collins: You have missed my point. Read my original comment again.
@Brendan O’Brien: Yeah all the “right wingers” hang out here on the Journal, a far left outlet. Makes perfect sense Brenda.
@Alan Carmody: I don’t really give two shits what you consider to be manly.
@I like this cushion: The fact that you see this website as ‘far left’ says a lot about your skewed perspective and lack of connection with reality.
But who needs reality when you have a few dozen other young men with wounded egos and multiple IDs to lean on?
@I like this cushion: Aw poor pet, should I go get your dumper truck to play with, who is a big boy, huh, a little hard man, bless.
I bet you like that cushion alright. Probably the only thing you’ve ever been romantic with.
Incel 4 lyfe
@Brendan O’Brien: The fact that you don’t, says a lot about you. How are the comments on the Guardian Brendo? I bet they’re full of nazis too, am I right? How strange….
@Alan Carmody: Married with two kids. Try again mate.
@I like this cushion: have you ever held eye contact with a female human?
@I like this cushion: was she your cushion or your second cushion?
I’m not your mate btw. That would be your “wife”
@Alan Carmody: Have you ever trash talked before? This is really pathetic man. Scarlet for you.
@I like this cushion: You’re sadly out of your depth here: best go and find your broflakes.
@I like this cushion: Im kicking your ass “mate”. The reason you’re scarlet is you are old, out of breath and clearly lacking in the testosterone department.
I’m embarrassed for you, standing over your sad, defeated, emaceated, cushion like corpse. But not scarlet, because I’m a man.
@Alan Carmody: lol jesus man… I’ve never heard such shite
@Brendan O’Brien: Whatever you say Brenda x x
@Alan Carmody: Alan, just stop. You’re really bad at this. It’s cringey.
@I like this cushion: Yes I’m the one that’s bad at this. Keep telling yourself that and please collect your testicles on the way out.
@Alan Carmody: Cringe…. give the phone back to your mum now and go play outside.
@I like this cushion: Stealing my line of infantalising insult. Plagiarism is the best form of flattery.
You are not going to win, I’m bigger, smarter and just cooler than you brah.
@Alan Carmody: Win what exactly?
@Brendan O’Brien: Toxic masculinity does not exist. Some men are @ssholes, the majority are just normal decent people. Same applies to women.Been like that since the dawn of time and always will be.
The findings sound a little obvious to me. If you are depressed thre are many symptoms which will lead to less chance of getting pregnant. The only thing this study does is put numbers on the differential.
Lol the journal tell us now if your message is going to perceived a toxic now
@Jay Riain: They should use it on their arictles before they publish them.
@Jay Riain: Yes, what is that about? I’m only seeing this now. Recently updated the app. Has anyone clicked on the prompt? It’s a bit negative all right.
@Jay Riain: Yes i Saw. Go for 10
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