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Published on: October 25, 2024
Resilience Among Women Living With Infertility: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study
Abdullahi Ibrahim1, Anas I Yakubu2, Ashiru A Ladan3
1Psychiatry, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kware, NGA.
Cureus
|June 25, 2026
Summary
Women with infertility exhibit lower resilience compared to fertile women, with factors like stress and education playing a role. Early psychological support in fertility clinics is recommended.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Infertility affects millions globally, posing significant reproductive health challenges and often leading to psychological distress.
- While resilience is key to coping with adversity, research on resilience in infertile women, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, is limited.
- This study addresses the gap by examining resilience in infertile women within the Sub-Saharan African context.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare resilience levels between women experiencing infertility and fertile women.
- To identify factors associated with diminished resilience among women facing infertility.
- To inform targeted psychological support strategies within fertility care.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional, comparative study was conducted at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto.
- 131 infertile women and 131 fertile nurses were assessed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), PHQ-9, and Infertility-related Stress Scale (IRSS).
- Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to examine associations.
Main Results:
- Infertile women demonstrated a higher prevalence of low resilience (58%) compared to fertile nurses (42.7%).
- Mean resilience scores were lower in infertile women (26.6 ± 9.6) than in fertile nurses (29.2 ± 8.1).
- Low resilience was significantly linked to tribal affiliation, lower education, shorter marriage duration, childlessness, loss of a child, and negative adoption perceptions. Infertility-related stress and negative perceptions were key predictors.
Conclusions:
- Infertility is associated with reduced resilience, exacerbated by childlessness, depression, and infertility-related stress.
- Integrating routine psychological assessments in fertility clinics is crucial for early identification of low resilience.
- Providing counseling services for at-risk patients is recommended to support their mental well-being during fertility treatments.
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