Prevalence And Factors Contributing to Infertility-Related Stress Among Saudi Couples

The prevalence of infertility-related stress and the relationships with the infertility factors were studied. Using a descriptive cross-sectional design, the study involved one hundred and  fifty-two Saudi couples (304 men and women) attending the infertility clinic at the department of Maternal and Children Hospital (MCH) Sakaka, Aljouf, Saudi Arabia over a period of January 2021 to January 2022. Demographic data were collected from record files and the questionaries comprehending the Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI) method were used for scoring the degree of stress corresponding with infertility. The convenience sampling method for the collection of questionaries data from all participants. Descriptive statistics (medians, percentages, odds ratio, and 95% confidence interval (CI), Chi-square test for univariate analysis followed by multiple logistic regression were used to analyse the relationship between infertility stress and the infertility factors at P < 0. 05. The prevalence of infertility-related stress among Saudi couples was 60%. Our results reveal a higher score of stress significantly present in women compared to men (P=0.006). The significant discrepancy in the mean score of social mind among men and women was 27.2±8.4 and 31.4±798 at (P=0.006) respectively. The univariate analysis revealed stress-inducing factors that the age of infertile couples, marital years, infertility factors, gynecological causes of infertile women, and sperm condition of infertile men. Multivariate analysis showed leading associations of stress with age, marital year, and gynecological history of infertile women. Comparatively, 60% of higher prevalence of infertility-related stress among diagnosed infertile Saudi couples. The present study estimated that infertile women have a greater experience of stress than men. Therefore, it is suggested for all infertile women concerned with psychological counseling before starting to course of treatments.