The effect of medical clowning on pregnancy rates after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer

doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2010.12.016

Fertility and Sterility

Volume 95, Issue 6, May 2011, Pages 2127-2130

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2010.12.016 Get rights and content

This experimental prospective quasi-randomized study examining the impact of a medical clowning encounter after embryo transfer (ET) after in vitro fertilization (IVF) found that the pregnancy rate in the intervention group was 36.4%, compared with 20.2% in the control group (adjusted odds ratio, 2.67; 95% confidence interval, 1.36–5.24). Medical clowning as an adjunct to IVF-ET may have a beneficial effect on pregnancy rates and deserves further investigation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Mr. Shlomi Algussi, a professional medical clown, for his valuable and indispensable contribution to the designing and performance of this study. We thank Ms. Esther Pollak, M.H.A., for her assistance in data collection, organization, and technical support during the study. We thank Dr. Malka Gorfine, Ph.D., for her statistical support in the design of the study.

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: S.F. has nothing to disclose. S.G. has nothing to disclose. L.A. has nothing to disclose. L.S.F. has nothing to disclose. A.R. has nothing to disclose. D.S. has nothing to disclose. R.R-E. has nothing to disclose. L.L-G. has nothing to disclose.

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CorrespondenceThe effect of medical clowning on pregnancy rates after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer

Section snippets

Acknowledgments

Fertil Steril

Urol Clin N Am

Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol

Fertil Steril

Gen Hosp Psychiatr

Soc Sci Med

Soc Sci Med

Psychoneuroendocrinology

Coping and cognitive factors in adaptation to in vitro fertilization failure

J Behav Med

Psychological and hormonal changes in the course of in vitro fertilization

J Assist Reprod Genet

Should fertilization treatment start with reducing stress?

Hum Reprod

Humor: a cognitive alternative to stress?

The role of laughter in traditional medicine and its relevance to the clinical setting: healing with ha!

Altern Ther Health Med

Humor in medicine

South Med J

A chuckle a day keeps the doctor away: therapeutic humor and laughter

J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv

Initiative proves laughter is the best medicine

Health Prog

Mirth and oxygen saturation levels of peripheral blood

Psychother and Psychosom

The respiratory components of mirthful laughter

J Biol Psychol

Mirthful laughter and blood pressure

Humor: Int J Humor Res

The physiological effects of humor, mirth, and laughter

J Am Med Assoc

The biology of humor

Humor: Int J Humor Res

Correspondence
The effect of medical clowning on pregnancy rates after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer