Virtual Reality Intervention to Reduce Pain in Women Undergoing Elective Oocyte Cryopreservation (OPU-VR)

The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality for Pain Reduction in Women Undergoing Elective Oocyte Cryopreservation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled study evaluates whether exposure to relaxing virtual reality (VR) scenery prior to oocyte retrieval can reduce pain in women undergoing elective oocyte cryopreservation.

Many women experience discomfort before and after oocyte retrieval. Virtual reality has been shown to reduce pain in various medical settings by providing distraction and relaxation.

In this study, participants are randomly assigned to receive either routine care alone or routine care combined with a VR-based relaxation intervention while waiting for the procedure.

Pain is assessed using validated questionnaires and standardized scales before and after oocyte retrieval.

The results of this study may help determine whether VR can serve as a simple, safe, and non-pharmacological method to improve patient comfort during elective egg freezing.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Acute Pain; Procedure-Related Pain
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Virtual reality relaxation intervention; Behavioral: Standard Care Control

Detailed Description

This study is a prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) in reducing pain among women undergoing elective oocyte cryopreservation.

Eligible participants awaiting oocyte retrieval are recruited at the fertility unit. All participants receive detailed information about the study and provide written informed consent prior to enrollment.

Participants are randomized into two parallel groups. The intervention group receives routine care in addition to exposure to relaxing virtual reality nature scenery using a VR headset for approximately 20 minutes prior to oocyte retrieval. The control group receives routine care without exposure to virtual reality.

Baseline assessments include demographic data, medical history, pain sensitivity questionnaire (PSQ), baseline visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, pain threshold assessment, and vital signs.

Following the procedure, pain is reassessed using the visual analog scale. Analgesic administration is documented from medical records. Additional post-procedure assessments include pain-related parameters and vital signs.

The primary outcome is post-procedure pain intensity measured using the VAS. Secondary outcomes include pain sensitivity measures, analgesic consumption, and physiological parameters.

All collected data include demographic variables, clinical parameters, baseline and post-procedure pain scores, pain-related measures, vital signs, and medication use. Data are coded and stored in a secure institutional database.

Statistical analysis compares outcomes between groups using appropriate parametric or non-parametric methods according to data distribution.

This study aims to assess whether pre-procedure virtual reality exposure can serve as a safe and effective non-pharmacological adjunct for pain reduction in women undergoing elective oocyte cryopreservation.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 100
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Adar Hamrani, MD; Phone Number: +972-54-5560848; Email: adarha@hadassah.org.il

Study Locations

• Israel
  • Jerusalem, Israel
    • Recruiting
    • Hadassah Medical Organization
    • Contact: Hadas Lemberg, PhD; Phone Number: 00 972 2 6777572; Email: lhadas@hadassah.org.il
    • Principal Investigator: Anat Hershko-Klement, MD

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women undergoing elective oocyte retrieval for fertility preservation.
• Age 18-45 years.
• Ability to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Use of pain relief, anti-anxiety, or antidepressant medications prior to the intervention.

• Any condition for which VR use is not recommended, including:

  • History of seizures
  • Sensitivity to flashing light or motion
  • Migraine headaches
  • Predisposition to nausea or dizziness (e.g., vertigo)
• Any injury to the eyes, face, or neck limiting use of the VR device, including blindness.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Virtual Reality Intervention Group; Participants receive routine care and are exposed to a relaxing virtual reality nature video using a VR headset for approximately 20 minutes prior to oocyte retrieval.	Behavioral: Virtual reality relaxation intervention; Participants are exposed to relaxing virtual reality nature scenery videos using a VR headset for approximately 20 minutes prior to oocyte retrieval, in addition to routine care.
Active Comparator: Control Group; Participants receive routine care prior to oocyte retrieval without exposure to virtual reality.	Behavioral: Standard Care Control; Participants receive routine care prior to oocyte retrieval without exposure to virtual reality.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Post-procedure pain intensity	Pain intensity measured using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. Pain is assessed in the recovery room following oocyte retrieval.	Immediately post-procedure in the recovery room (within 1 hour after oocyte retrieval)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Baseline pain sensitivity	Baseline pain sensitivity measured using the Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire (PSQ), a validated self-report instrument assessing perceived pain intensity in imagined daily-life situations. Scores range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating greater pain sensitivity.	Before oocyte retrieval
Heart rate during oocyte retrieval	eart rate (beats per minute) measured at predefined time points before, during, and after oocyte retrieval as an indicator of physiological stress.	Before, during, and after oocyte retrieval and prior to discharge on the day of the procedure
Pain intensity prior to discharge	Pain intensity measured using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. Pain is assessed prior to discharge on the day of oocyte retrieval.	Prior to discharge (same day as oocyte retrieval)
Change in pain intensity from pre-procedure to post-procedure	Change in pain intensity measured using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. Change is calculated as post-procedure VAS score minus pre-procedure VAS score.	From pre-procedure (at admission) to immediately post-procedure in the recovery room
Post-procedure analgesic consumption	Use of analgesic medications during the post-procedure recovery period, documented from medical records, including type and dosage of administered analgesics.	From completion of oocyte retrieval until discharge from the recovery unit
Systolic blood pressure during oocyte retrieval	Systolic blood pressure (mmHg) measured at predefined time points before, during, and after oocyte retrieval as an indicator of physiological stress.	Before, during, and after oocyte retrieval and prior to discharge on the day of the procedure
Diastolic blood pressure during oocyte retrieval	Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) measured at predefined time points before, during, and after oocyte retrieval as an indicator of physiological stress.	Before, during, and after oocyte retrieval and prior to discharge on the day of the procedure

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Hadassah Medical Organization
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Anat Hershko-Klement, MD, Hadassah Medical Center, Mount Scopus Campus, Jerusalem, Israel; Study Director: Adar Hamrani, MD, Hadassah Medical Center, Mount Scopus Campus, Jerusalem, Israel

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 5, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 23, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 18, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 20, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 20, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 18, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Virtual Reality; Oocyte Retrieval; Pain Management; Reproductive Medicine; Fertility Preservation; Non-Pharmacological Intervention; Patient Comfort; Elective Oocyte Cryopreservation
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Perceptual Disorders; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Acute Pain; Agnosia
• Other Study ID Numbers: 0497-23-HMO-CTIL

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No