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Published on: October 24, 2025
Research on infertility: which definition should we use?
1Department of Population and International Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. ularsen@hsph.harvard.edu
Objective:
Different definitions of infertility are used in clinical practice as well as in epidemiological and demographic research. This study assessed whether the definition makes a difference for estimates of the prevalence and sociodemographic differentials of infertility and whether one definition would be applicable in both research and clinical practice.
Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Setting:
Moshi town in northern Tanzania.
Patient(S):
Community-based sample of 1,125 women, ages 20 to 44 years, in first union.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Six definitions of infertility.
Result(S):
Similar levels and sociodemographic characteristics of infertile women were obtained from asking the question "How long have you tried to get pregnant?" and from secondary data collected in a birth history that included date of marriage, date of last birth, current contraceptive use, and whether the woman wants another child.
Conclusion(S):
The infertility definition made a difference. The World Health Organization definition based on 24 months of trying to get pregnant is recommended as the definition that is useful in clinical practice and research among different disciplines.
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