Participants attending the 10 week program make better decisions, positively manage stress, develop new coping skills, learn relaxation techniques and gain better control over their health."
Clinical Research indicates 55% of women conceive after attending a mind body program."
(Alice Domar, Ph.D)
Los Angeles Group:
Beginning March 29
(UCLA)
Orange County Group:
Beginning April 19
(Newport Beach)
Open Enrollment for these sessions is currently in process. Call today to reserve a space.
Fertility & Sterility Vol. 74 No. 6. December 2000
Alice Domar, Ph.D., Dian Clapp, B.S.N., R.N., Ellen A. Slawsby, Ph.D., Jeffery Dusek, Ph.D., Bruce Kessel, M.D., and Melissa Freizinger, M.A.Impact on Psychological Interventions on Pregnancy Rates in Infertile Women. The objective is to determine the efficacy of two different group psychological interventions on viable pregnancy rates in women experiencing infertility of less than 2 years duration. As a conclusion, group psychological interventions appear to lead to increased pregnancy rates in infertile women.
Health Psychology Vol. 19, No. 6, November 2000
Domar AD, Clapp D, Slawsby E, Kessel B, Orav J, Freizinger M.
The impact of group psychological interventions on distress in infertile women. Infertile women express higher levels of distress than fertile women, with distress peaking between the 2nd and 3rd year. The purpose of this study was to determine whether group psychological interventions could prevent this surge. One hundred eighty-four women who had been trying to conceive between 1 and 2 years were randomized into either a cognitive-behavioral group, a support group, or a control group. All experimental participants attended a 10-session group program. Participants completed psychological questionnaires at intake and again at 6 and 12 months. Substantial attrition occurred, particularly in the control group. The cognitive-behavioral and support participants experienced significant psychological improvement at 6 and 12 months compared with the control participants, with the cognitive-behavioral participants experiencing the greatest positive change.
Fertility & Sterility Vol. 58 No. 1 July 1992
Domar AD, Zuttermeister PC, Seibel M, Benson H.
Psychological improvement in infertile women after behavioral treatment: a replication. The objective is to replicate previously reported psychological improvements in infertile women attending a group behavioral treatment program. DESIGN: Psychological and demographic data were collected before entering and again upon completion of a behavioral medicine program on a second cohort of patients. The conclusions are report that Behavioral treatment is associated with significant decreases in negative psychological symptoms.
Recent studies conducted at Harvard Medical School on 184 women going through infertility treatments, of those attended a 10-week course of relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, and stress reduction, 55% had a viable pregnancy within one year. Compared to only 20% of the control group achieving a viable pregnancy in one year (Domar et al, April 2000).
Infertile women are significantly more depressed than their fertile counterparts with depression and anxiety levels equivalent to women with cancer, heart disease or HIV status (Domar, Zuttermeister, & Friedman, 1993)
Women undergoing IVF who were “worried” about the medical aspects of their treatments had 20% fewer eggs retrieved and 19% fewer eggs fertilized (Klonoff-cohen and Natarajan, 2004)
Ovarian dysfunction has been shown to have a connection with emotional distress (Wasser, Sewall, & Soules 1993).
In Japan, women who attended 5 weekly meetings of a structured group intervention that contained mind/body training had higher pregnancy rates and lower natural-killer cell activity than the control group. In a one year follow up, the women who received the group intervention had a pregnancy rate of 37% vs. a 13.5% pregnancy rate for the control group (Takashi et, al, 2002)
Infertile women are significantly more depressed than their fertile counterparts, with depression and anxiety levels equivalent to women with heart disease, cancer or HIV positive status. (Domar, Zuttermeister, & Friedman, 1993).
In a study with women undergoing donor sperm insemination, those with higher levels of anxiety prior to undergoing inseminations took significantly longer to conceive and were also significantly more likely to miscarry that those with lower levels of anxiety. (Demyttenaere, Nijs, Steeno, & Koninckx, 1988).
Women who were not depressed before starting IVF treatment had a conceptions rate twice as high as women who were depressed before treatment. (Thiering, Beaurepaire, Jones, & Saunders, 1993)
Women with a history of depression were nearly twice as likely to report infertility as women without such history. (Freeman, Garcia, & Rickles, 1983).
Research shows that Mind Body techniques boost odds of getting pregnant, decreasing depression and increases chances (Alice Lesch Kelly, Ph.D.)
Psychological stress of infertility treatment is widely knowledged and can not be overestimated (Eva Selburn, MD).
Participants report significant decreases in insomnia, headaches, back pain, abdominal pain, depressive symptoms, anxiety, anger, and fatigue (Benson, H.).
Participants learn a variety of relaxation techniques, positive stress-management skills, and lifestyle changes while also receiving the benefits of a supportive environment (Sussman, D.).
Thousands of infertile individuals flock to alternative or complimentary practices who may or may not have evidence to support their claims. Mind Body Institute for Women's Health incorporates the latest clinical research from Harvard Medical School (Peg Baim, NP).
Harvard Medical School’s research reports the direct relationship between stress and neuroendocrine responses and describes the primitive reflexes of sympathetic and adrenal activation in response to perceived stress and distress on health (Herbert Benson, MD).
Mind-body medicine is evidenced that psychological factors can play a significant role in cancer, cardiac wellness, menopause, chronic pain, metabolic issues and infertility. Over 35 million US adults use mind body approaches for better health (Eva Selburn, MD)
Mind-body interventions prepare patients for the stress associated with infertility and surgery. Randomized controlled trials in which patients received mind-body techniques make better cognitive decisions, positive stress management, coping skills training, cognitive behavioral interventions and relaxation therapy (Bruce Kessel, MD, Alice Domar, Ph.D)
Women with unexplained infertility who went through an 8-week program of relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, and self-instructional management were significantly more likely to conceive than a control group who receive no training. Within the 2-month study period, 4 out of 7 experimental subjects conceived, whereas none of the 7 control subjects conceived. (Rodriguez et al.. 1983).
In a study of 63 women about to undergo an IVF treatment cycle, those who chose to attend 2-weeks worth of sessions on relaxation training were significantly more likely to conceive on their first IVF attempt. (Farrar, Holbert, & Drabman, (1990).
A randomized, controlled, unpublished pilot study showed an increased conception rate in women with unexplained infertility who received relaxation-based behavior therapy. (Domar & Seibel, 1990).
Among women who attended a mind-body, behavior therapy program, statistical decreases in depression, anxiety and fatigue were measured over the course of the treatment. (Domar, Seibel, & Benson, 1990).
In a recent study conducted at Harvard Medical School on 184 women going through infertility, of those who went through a 10-week course of relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, and stress reduction, 55% had a viable pregnancy within one year. This is compared to only 20% of the control group achieving a viable pregnancy in one year. (Domar et al, April 2000).