Virtual reality-based intervention to improve pre-operative anxiety in patients undergoing planned oocyte cryopreservation: a randomized clinical trial

Purpose: To investigate the impact of virtual reality (VR) exposure on anxiety levels in patients undergoing planned oocyte cryopreservation. Methods: Participants were randomized into a routine management group or a VR group. The VR group underwent a 20-min VR session featuring scenic movies before entering the operating room. All procedures were conducted under anesthesia. Demographic data collected included age, BMI, cycle number, expected and retrieved eggs, and whether patients were accompanied. The primary outcome was anxiety change, measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). A sample size of 12 patients per group was calculated to detect a 5-point reduction in STAI scores. Secondary measures included anxiety-related vital signs and visual analogue scale (VAS, 1–10). Data were collected at admission, pre-procedure, and post-recovery. Results: Of the 30 patients recruited, 16 were assigned to routine management and 14 to the VR group. Baseline anxiety scores (S-STAI) of both groups were low and almost identical (VR group 24.8 ± 10.2, Routine management group 24.75 ± 11.1, p = 0.897). The VR group showed a significant reduction in STAI scores from admission to pre-procedure, while the routine group experienced an increase (p = 0.02). Systolic blood pressure decreased more in the VR group post-recovery (− 9.7 ± 12.3 mmHg vs. − 1.3 ± 13.1 mmHg, p = 0.08), although not reaching a statistical significance. VAS scores also showed a greater reduction in the VR group from admission to pre-procedure (p = 0.04). Conclusion: VR exposure before oocyte retrieval significantly reduced anxiety, as indicated by STAI scores, systolic blood pressure, and VAS scores. Trial registration: Clinical-Trials NCT06280222, Registered online 07.12.2023.