Effectiveness of nursing counseling on coping and depression in women undergoing in vitro fertilization

The purpose of present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of counseling provided by nurses on depression and coping strategies of infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization (N=67). Of the 84 women who were interviewed, 30 were accepted as a comparison group, and 37 were included in the study group. The study group women were given counseling in addition to routine nursing care services, including group education and individual interviews about treatment and coping strategies. The nurses also provided support by accompanying the women during the invasive procedures. The Beck Depression Inventory and Jalowiec's Coping Strategies Form were used for measurements. All the women were using emotional coping and had moderate depression prior to the study. There was no statistically significant difference between the comparison and study groups before or after the counseling with respect to depression and coping strategies. Parameters to evaluate the efficacy of counseling are discussed.