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The impact of spillover and crossover effects of job stressors on pregnancy rates in couples undergoing in vitro fertilization treatments

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
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Abstract

Purpose

Studies have shown mixed findings regarding the impact of stress on the success of fertility treatments. To the best of our knowledge, stress in the context of the workplace has not been investigated to date in relation to the success of fertility treatments. This research investigates the impact of work-related stress and emotional exhaustion experienced by both partners on in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment outcomes.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study that included 44 heterosexual couples (N = 88) in which both partners filled out the research questionnaire. The couples were recruited in a hospital IVF unit in the center of Israel.

Results

Women’s job-related stress and emotional exhaustion lowered their chances of achieving pregnancy when undergoing IVF treatments. Moreover, when partners’ emotional exhaustion was relatively low, the job-related stress of women did not affect pregnancy outcomes.

Conclusion

This is the first study to explore whether job-related stressors of both partners may have an impact on success rates of IVF treatments. We propose some practical implications as to how to eradicate their negative impact on IVF outcomes.

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Funding

This study was funded by the Ramat Gan Academic College.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Social Sciences and Education, Ramat Gan Academic College, Ramat Gan, Israel

    Keren Turgeman Lupo

  2. School of Business Administration, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

    Keren Turgeman Lupo

  3. School of Behavioral Sciences, Netanya Academic College, Netanya, Israel

    Ya’arit Bokek-Cohen

  4. Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Ya’arit Bokek-Cohen

  5. Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel

    Netanella Miller, Einat Haikin Herzberger & Amir Wiser

  6. Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Netanella Miller, Einat Haikin Herzberger & Amir Wiser

  7. OB/GYN Department, Maayanei Hayeshua Medical Center, Bnei Brak, Israel

    Netanella Miller

Authors
  1. Keren Turgeman Lupo
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  2. Ya’arit Bokek-Cohen
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  3. Netanella Miller
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  4. Einat Haikin Herzberger
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  5. Amir Wiser
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Keren Turgeman Lupo.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Turgeman Lupo, K., Bokek-Cohen, Y., Miller, N. et al. The impact of spillover and crossover effects of job stressors on pregnancy rates in couples undergoing in vitro fertilization treatments. J Assist Reprod Genet 42, 847–853 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-024-03373-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-024-03373-6

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