Hope on the Horizon
A Virginia Tech study is exploring whether a mindset management program can help women with infertility lower stress and reclaim a sense of control. This approach—grounded in resilience and growth mindset—may also hold promise for women living with Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI).
The clinical trial is exploring whether a structured mindset management program can help reduce stress in women living with infertility. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05997407) and led by Dr. Emily Evans-Hoeker.
Why this Matters
Infertility and early ovarian conditions such as Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) often bring not only medical challenges but also profound emotional ones: anxiety, depression, grief, and social isolation. While hormone therapy and fertility treatments address the biological aspects, women frequently report that the psychological strain is just as heavy.
What the Study Tests
Participants in this randomized controlled trial are divided into two groups:
- Intervention group: Completes the Organic Conceptions program, a 10-week curriculum with assignments, peer support, and coaching sessions.
- Control group: Continues with standard fertility care and later receives access to the materials after the study ends.
Both groups complete surveys at baseline, 10 weeks, and 16 weeks using the COMPI-FPSS scale, a validated measure of fertility-related stress. Researchers want to know if the mindset program can lower stress scores and improve participants’ overall adjustment to their fertility journey.
The Bigger Picture
This trial reflects a growing interest in the role of mindset interventions in women’s health. Evidence from other chronic disease fields shows that cultivating a “growth mindset” — the belief that skills, coping strategies, and resilience can be developed — is linked to lower distress and greater well-being. Bringing this approach into infertility and POI care could help women not just medically, but emotionally and socially.
Why We’re Watching
The POI community knows too well that psychological support is often overlooked in reproductive medicine. A study like this could strengthen the case for integrating mental health care alongside medical treatment. If mindset management reduces stress, it may open the door to new, accessible tools that women with infertility and POI can use to regain a sense of control and hope.
To read the published study at NIH, see:
