Aromatherapy for Mental Health Promotion in IVF Patients

Infertility is a condition that affects approximately one in six people globally and is associated with high levels of psychological distress. Complementary therapies, such as aromatherapy, emerge as potential strategies to promote emotional well-being. This prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial will be conducted at the Hospital das Clínicas da UFMG. Participants will be women on the waiting list for IVF. They will be randomized into three groups: 1. Intervention Group: Inhalation of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil. 2. Placebo Group: Inhalation of synthetic lavender essence. 3. Control Group: Routine care only. The intervention consists of inhaling 5 drops of the substance using a personal nasal inhaler stick, twice daily (morning and night) for 15 minutes, over a period of 4 weeks. Efficacy will be measured using validated scales for anxiety, depression, stress (DASS-21), quality of life (FertiQoL), insomnia (ISI), Human Flourishing Scale (HFS), Duke Religiosity Index (DUREL), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and a Qualitative questionnaire at baseline, immediately post-intervention (Week 4), and at follow-up (Week 8).