Study of psychiatric disturbance in infertile women

Background: The experience of infertility can be extremely stressful and associated with a range of psychiatric problems in infertile women. Generally; some of the risk factors which may lead to psychiatric problem are repeated unsuccessful treatment of infertility, low socioeconomic status, lack of partner support, being female, life events, etc. Objective: In this study, we have analyzed the psychiatric problems of infertile women by means of primary health questionnaire (PHQ). Materials and methods: In a cross sectional study 100 infertile women were selected and advised to fill up PHQ. After obtaining their consents psychiatric problems such as somatoform, panic, other anxiety disorder major depressive and other depressive disorders, were assessed, and their results were analyzed and compared with these results from 98 fertile women. Results: According to PHQ results major depression and anxiety disorders were significantly more frequent in infertile women, but considering somatoform and panic disorder there was no significant difference between infertile and fertile women. Conclusions: Infertility may be considered as one of the major casual factor in major depressive and anxiety disorders in association with other social problems.