Virtual Reality for Anxiety Relief in Infertile Women

NCT ID: NCT07020975

Last Updated: 2025-06-13

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 80 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-03-01
• Study Completion Date: 2026-03-01

Brief Summary

This study examines the impact of virtual reality (VR) applications on anxiety levels before and after embryo transfer procedures. The clinical trial will involve 80 participants, aged 18 to 50, who are receiving treatment at a healthcare facility in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The primary objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of VR as an intervention for reducing anxiety in individuals undergoing assisted reproductive treatments.

Detailed Description

This doctoral study aims to evaluate the use of virtual reality (VR) as an innovative, non-invasive intervention for managing anxiety during embryo transfer in assisted reproductive technology (ART). A randomized clinical trial will be conducted with 80 participants, aged 18 to 50, undergoing fertility treatment at a healthcare facility in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: the intervention group (n=40), which will experience a VR session both before and after the embryo transfer, and the control group (n=40), which will receive standard care without VR. Anxiety levels will be assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) at two time points-pre- and post-embryo transfer.

The primary objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of VR in reducing procedural anxiety, a factor known to negatively affect patient experience and potentially influence treatment outcomes. The findings are expected to support the integration of patient-centered, technology-enhanced strategies in reproductive healthcare practices.

Conditions

Anxiety; Assisted Reproductive Treatments; Women; VR; Stress; Virtual Goggles; Infertility; Embryo Transfer

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Intervention Group with VR Glasses

Forty women will experience a calming ZEN music soundtrack and view natural landscapes through VR glasses both before and after the embryo transfer procedure.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

VR Glasses

Intervention Type: DEVICE

VR Glasses is used to help people be in a virtual reality other than their real life. What we use this for; to get away infertile women from her stressfull environment to another virtual reality before their embryo transfer.

Control Group with routine care

Forty women will receive standard routine care before and after the embryo transfer procedure (Explanation of how to use the medication).

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

VR Glasses

VR Glasses is used to help people be in a virtual reality other than their real life. What we use this for; to get away infertile women from her stressfull environment to another virtual reality before their embryo transfer.

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Volunteered to participate in the research,
• 18-50 years old
• No vision and hearing problems,
• Not disoriented in time and place,
• Primary infertile
• Not having communication problem
• Can read & write
• No mental pathological disease

Exclusion Criteria

• Secondary infertility
• Having experienced bleeding, miscarriage, etc. after embryo transfer,
• Difficulty communicating,
• Problems such as migraine, vertigo, dizziness,
• Patients who wear prescription glasses and have vision problems without glasses
• Refused to participate in the research
• Patients with psychiatric pathology

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 50 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Cyprus Aydin University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

NAZLI ÇATAK

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

NAZLI CATAK, MSc

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Cyprus Aydin University

Girne Kepuveia, Keryneia, Cyprus

Countries

Cyprus

References

Garcia-Palacios A, Hoffman H, Carlin A, Furness TA 3rd, Botella C. Virtual reality in the treatment of spider phobia: a controlled study. Behav Res Ther. 2002 Sep;40(9):983-93. doi: 10.1016/s0005-7967(01)00068-7.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 12296495 (View on PubMed)

Freeman D, Reeve S, Robinson A, Ehlers A, Clark D, Spanlang B, Slater M. Virtual reality in the assessment, understanding, and treatment of mental health disorders. Psychol Med. 2017 Oct;47(14):2393-2400. doi: 10.1017/S003329171700040X. Epub 2017 Mar 22.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 28325167 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

2025/04.007

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id