Clinical trial NCT07020975: Virtual Reality for Anxiety Relief in Infertile Women
Official title: The Effect of Virtual Reality Application on Anxiety Before and After Embryo Transfer in Infertile Women
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
Phase: NA
Conditions: Anxiety
Assisted Reproductive Treatments
Women
VR
Stress
Virtual Goggles
Infertility
Embryo Transfer
Keywords: Anxiety
Assisted Reproductive Treatments
Women
Nurse
VR
Technology
Infertility
Embryo Transfer
Lead sponsor: Cyprus Aydin University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2025-06-13
Enrollment: 80
Sex: FEMALE
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 50
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE

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.

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

Primary outcomes:
measure: Anxiety level of the women who went through embryo transfer.
timeFrame: 1 year
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Girne Kepuveia
country: Cyprus
facility: Cyprus Aydin University
state: Girne
Study officials:
name: NAZLI CATAK, MSc
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: 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.
citation: 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.