Psychosocial Consequences of Infertility on Infertile Women

This study explores to find out the qualitative and quantitative psychosocial consequences of infertility in women coming for infertility treatment in tertiary infertility center. A total of 400 infertile couples who agreed to participate in the study were asked to fill up the questionnaires and later interviewed to access the psychosocial consequences of infertility on their personal life in a tertiary infertility clinic in Dhaka at Center for Assisted Reproduction (CARe Hospital), Dhaka from June 2011 to December 2011 and agreed to participate in the study were included in the study. The data was analyzed and the quantitative and qualitative psychosocial factors were evaluated. Four hundred infertile couple who filled the questionnaires was included in the study. Sixty three percent of the women belonged to age group >20 30 years at the time of interview. Regarding age at marriage 43.8% of the women were married by 20 years, 51.3% were married between 20 30 years. Mean±SD duration of present married life was 7.20±4.45 (range 1 to 28) years and 74.4% of the women were living with their husbands. Of them 75.5% women were housewife. When asked whether they knew what was the reason of infertility in the couple, 32.5% knew the cause was in the female partner, 14.5%, knew the cause was in the male partner, 10.3% knew the cause was in both partners, 21.5% knew cause of infertility was not in any of the partners, and 21.3% had no idea about the cause of infertility. The male partner's response about the issue of prognosis and outcome of couple's infertility revealed 37.3% believed their wives will conceive someday, 31.3% had no intention for a second marriage, 13% were indifferent, 11.3% blamed their wives for infertility and 4.8% threatened for a second marriage. Only 2.5% of the male partners were suggested on consulting and continuing treatment by specialist. The family pressure by in-laws and relatives towards their infertility was that 57.3% insisted on consulting a good gynaecologist, 29.8% had no family pressure, 11.3% insisted the male partners to remarry, and 1.8% insisted the husbands to divorce their wives. In evaluating the social response it showed that 55.8% was suggested to consult a good gynaecologist, 31% asks embarrassing questions, 13% taunted and 0.3% insisted the husband to divorce the wife. In developing countries, despite overpopulation, unwanted childlessness is also an important psychosocial burden that needs attention. The consequences of infertility have greater impact on woman's life and can be a life time crisis. There is no direct intervention regarding infertility from government or NGO's. National services is lacking because policy makers and donor NGOs are not interested to invest on it and also women want to hide their infertility as long as they can.