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Eating behaviors and attitudes in women with infertility: A controlled study
Author(s) -
Fassino Secondo,
Garzaro Lorenzo,
Pierò Andrea,
Daga Giovanni Abbate,
Bulik Cynthia
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.10125
Subject(s) - infertility , anorexia nervosa , distrust , psychology , maturity (psychological) , psychosocial , feeling , interpersonal communication , etiology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , eating disorders , developmental psychology , social psychology , pregnancy , psychotherapist , genetics , biology
Abstract Objective Infertility arises from a complex pathogenic process in which it is often difficult to identify etiology. Psychological and behavioral factors may play a role in some cases of infertility. The extent to which eating behaviors and attitudes contribute to infertility is unknown. Method In this study, 120 subjects with infertility, 80 fertile women, and 90 patients suffering from anorexia nervosa, restricting subtype (AN‐R), were assessed with the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI‐2). Results The EDI‐2 highlights differences among patients with AN‐R and fertile and infertile subjects. Infertile patients had higher scores on the Interpersonal Distrust, Interoceptive Awareness, and Maturity Fears EDI‐2 subscales than fertile subjects. Logistic regression identifies the independent variables of interpersonal distrust, interoceptive awareness, maturity fears, and asceticism as predictors of infertility. Discussion Infertile patients without eating disorders share some psychological features of women with AN. These features do not include disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors, but rather feelings of inadequacy, insecurity, and maturity fears. © 2003 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 33: 178–184, 2003.