Depression, Perceived Stress, and Social Support Among Infertile Women Attending Fertility Centers in Dhaka, Bangladesh: A Cross‐Sectional Study

Background Infertility is a major psychosocial and public health concern in Bangladesh, as the strong cultural emphasis on motherhood intensifies emotional distress. This study assessed the prevalence and associated factors of depression, perceived stress, and perceived social support among infertile women in Dhaka. Methods A descriptive cross‐sectional study was conducted among 373 infertile women aged 18–45 years attending five selected fertility centers in Dhaka, Bangladesh, between October 2024 and April 2025. Participants were selected using purposive and convenience sampling. Data were collected through face‐to‐face interviews using validated instruments (BDI‐II, PSS‐10, MSPSS). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, chi‐square tests, and multivariable linear regression analyses for perceived stress and social support. Results Nearly half of the participants (50.1%) reported depressive symptoms, whereas 94.4% experienced moderate‐to‐high perceived stress. Only 27.3% reported high perceived social support. Depressive symptoms were more common among women aged > 35 years, those with irregular menstrual cycles, women experiencing infertility for more than 5 years, and those reporting lower husband‐related support ( p < 0.05). Obesity showed a nonsignificant trend toward higher depressive symptoms ( p = 0.064). In multivariable regression analyses, higher perceived stress scores were observed among business/self‐employed women ( p = 0.046) and women with no children ( p = 0.013). Perceived social support was significantly higher among older and employed women, whereas women identified as infertile reported lower social support ( p = 0.017). Conclusion Depressive symptoms and perceived stress were common among infertile women attending fertility centers in Dhaka. Longer infertility duration, irregular menstrual cycles, weaker spousal cooperation, and lower perceived social support were associated with poorer psychological well‐being. These findings highlight the importance of integrating routine mental health screening, couple‐based counseling, and family‐sensitive psychosocial support into infertility care services in Bangladesh.