The effects of COVID-19 lockdown on lifestyle and emotional state in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology: Results of an Italian survey

Purpose: On March 8, 2020, the Italian Government implemented extraordinary measures to limit viral transmission of COV-19/SARS-CoV-2. We evaluated the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on lifestyle and emotional state in women planning infertility treatments. Basic Procedures: We performed a quantitative research study using a web-based survey, in 140 women referred to Assisted Reproductive Technologies Center. Main findings: We observed changes in body weight during lockdown in 80 % of women, and a significant increase in BMI in comparison to that observed before (p = .001). We observed a high percentage of non-adherence to the Mediterranean pattern during lockdown due to higher frequency of consumption of sweet/pastries, cheese and meat, rather than fruit, vegetables and legumes. Before lockdown 36.4 % women were snack consumers while during lockdown 55 % (p = .002). By considering individuals' attitude to snack consumption, we observed an increase related to boredom (p=<.0001) and anxiety (p = .05) during lockdown. Increased levels of anxiety and sadness were observed in about 30 %, and of boredom in 25 %. The percentage of women worried about their planning infertility treatment was more than 50 %. Principal Conclusions: Quarantine-related restrictions strongly influenced lifestyle psychological behavior leading to an increased burden of cardiovascular disease. (C) 2021 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study found that the COVID-19 lockdown had an impact on the lifestyle and emotional state of women planning infertility treatments, leading to changes in body weight, irregular dietary patterns, increased snack consumption, and elevated levels of anxiety, boredom, and sadness.