Virtual Reality as a Novel Approach to Enhancing Mental Health and Quality of Life in Infertile Couples: A Systematic Review

AbstractBackground and Objective:Infertility imposes substantial psychological and social burdens in addition to physical challenges. In recent years, virtual reality (VR) has emerged as an innovative approach in psychological rehabilitation and quality-of-life improvement. This study aims to systematically review the evidence on the effectiveness of VR-based interventions in enhancing mental health and quality of life among infertile couples.Methods:Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore for articles published between ۲۰۱۴ and ۲۰۲۵. After screening and applying inclusion criteria, ۳۶ high-quality studies were selected.Results:Among the included studies, ۶۷% reported reductions in anxiety and depression, ۵۵% improvements in psychosocial adjustment, and ۴۲% increases in marital satisfaction. Common interventions involved relaxation simulations (۲۲ studies), interactive environments (۱۵), and VR-based gamification (۱۲). These applications improved psychological outcomes, enhanced perceived control, and reduced treatment-related stress.Conclusion:VR demonstrates strong potential as an adjunctive tool for psychological rehabilitation in infertile couples. However, further longitudinal and randomized trials are needed to establish standardized protocols, assess long-term safety, and design personalized interventions.Keywords: Virtual reality, infertility, psychological rehabilitation, quality of life, mental health

کلیدواژه ها:

Virtual reality ، infertility ، psychological rehabilitation ، quality of life ، mental health