Disability, psychiatric symptoms, and quality of life in infertile women: a cross-sectional study in Turkey

BACKGROUND Infertility is a major life crisis which can lead to the development of psychiatric symptoms and negative effects on the quality of life of affected couples, but the magnitude of the effects may vary depending on cultural expectations. AIM We compare the level of psychiatric symptoms, disability, and quality of life in fertile and infertile women in urban Turkey. METHODS This cross-sectional study enrolled 100 married women being treated for infertility at the outpatient department of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of the Rize Education and Research Hospital and a control group of 100 fertile married women. All study participants were evaluated with a socio-demographic data screening form, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Brief Disability Questionnaire (BDQ), and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). RESULTS The mean anxiety subscale score and depression subscale score of HADS were slightly higher in the infertile group than in controls, but the differences were not statistically significant. The proportion of subjects with clinically significant anxiety (i.e., anxiety subscale score of HADS ≥11) was significantly higher in infertile women than in fertile women (31% v. 17%, χ (2)=5.37, p=0.020), but the proportion with clinically significant depressive symptoms (i.e., depression subscale score of HADS >8) was not significantly different (43% v. 33%, χ (2)=2.12, p=0.145). Self-reported disability over the prior month was significantly worse in the infertile group than in the controls, and 4 of the 8 subscales of the SF-36 - general health, vitality, social functioning, and mental health - were significantly worse in the infertile group. Compared to infertile women who were currently working, infertile women who were not currently working reported less severe depression and anxiety and better general health, vitality, and mental health. CONCLUSIONS Married women from urban Turkey seeking treatment for infertility do not have significantly more severe depressive symptoms than fertile married controls, but they do report greater physical and psychological disability and a poorer quality of life. The negative effects of infertility were more severe in infertile women who were employed than in those who were not employed. Larger follow-up studies are needed to assess the reasons for the differences between these results and those reported in western countries which usually report a higher prevalence of depression and anxiety in infertile patients.