Table 2. Frequency and percentages of embryologists that reported stressors in the world’s four regions
STRESSORS Never
n (%) 		Rarely
n (%) 		Often
n (%) 		Always
n (%)
SPECIFIC TO EMBRYOLOGIST PROFESSION
High responsibility
Uneven distribution of workload (some days a lot, others little)
Fertilization failure
Manage potential errors made by others
Pressure to get results 		11 (1.5)
6 (0.8)
34 (4.6)
15 (2.0)
20 (2.7) 		47 (6.3)
68 (9.2)
204 (27.5)
101 (13.6)
80 (10.8) 		359 (48.4)
389 (52.4)
225 (43.8)
391 (52.7)
396 (53.4) 		325 (43.8)
279 (37.6)
179 (24.1)
235 (31.7)
246 (33.2)
ORGANIZATIONAL AND RELATIONAL
Spend too much time on administrative tasks
Insufficient time to complete daily tasks
Overloaded schedule
Little rest during the workday
Difficulty balancing work with social and/or family life
Few vacation days
Interruptions from calls or external alerts to the laboratory
Work shifts
Poor workplace environment
Communicate negative results to doctors
Communicate bad news to the patients 		12 (1.6)
30 (4.0)
27 (3.6)
26 (3.5)
35 (4.5)
87 (11.7)
31 (4.2)
90 (12.1)
125 (16.8)
101 (13.6)
56 (7.5) 		78 (10.5)
124 (16.7)
85 (11.5)
122 (16.4)
112 (15.1)
156 (21.0)
88 (11.9)
148 (19.9)
196 (26.4)
219 (29.5)
147 (19.8) 		415 (55.9)
433 (58.4)
409 (55.1)
374 (50.4)
349 (47.0)
340 (44.8)
370 (49.8)
378 (51.0)
293 (39.5)
336 (45.3)
366 (49.3) 		237 (31.9)
155 (20.9)
221 (29.8)
220 (29.6)
246 (33.2)
159 (21.4)
253 (43.1)
126 (17.0)
128 (17.3)
86 (11.6)
173 (23.3)
EMOTIONAL
Lack of professional recognition
Feelings of guilt for not achieving a successful cycle
Make critical decisions
Work with patients with complicated conditions
Empathy with the patient and feel their suffering
Manage patients’ expectations
Manage difficult patients 		111 (15.0)
53 (7.1)
11 (4.2)
62 (8.4)
50 (6.7)
38 (5.1)
32 (4.3) 		159 (21.4)
282 (24.5)
116 (15.6)
160 (21.6)
137 (18.5)
142 (19.1)
130 (17.5) 		299 (40.3)
365 (49.2)
410 (55.2)
400 (53.9)
407 (54.9)
425 (57.3)
380 (51.2) 		173 (23.3)
142 (19.1)
185 (24.9)
120 (16.2)
148 (19.9)
137 (18.5)
200 (27.0)
ENVIRONMENTAL OR PHYSICAL
Lighting
Noise
Inadequate chairs
Isolation
Lack of enough physical space
Temperature 		190 (25.6)
106 (14.3)
151 (40.4)
171 (23.0)
179 (24.1)
126 (17.0) 		218 (29.4)
208 (28.0)
193 26.0)
208 (28.0)
194 (26.1)
204 (27.5) 		249 (33.5)
319(43.0)
310 (41.8)
282 (38.0)
289 (38.9)
327 (44.1) 		85 (11.5)
109 (14.7)
88 (11.9)
81 (10.9)
80 (10.8)
85 (11.5)