THE PRESSURE TO PROCREATE: INVESTIGATING THE ASSOCIATION OF EARLY INFERTILITY CLINIC VISITS WITH SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC PARAMETERS
Main Article Content
Keywords
Conception, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Infertility, reproductive age group females.
Abstract
Background: Infertility is a sensitive and stigmatized issue in Asian countries leading to the early presentation of married couples to infertility clinics. This manuscript explores the sociodemographic factors associated with the early visits of these infertile couples.
Methodology: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of one hundred and seventy-eight females who visited Meer Jam Ghulam Qader Teaching Hospital, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hub, Balochistan from January 2021 to June 2021 with the primary concern of the inability to conceive. A convenient sampling technique was used to collect the data. After obtaining consent, the sociodemographic data of the participants was recorded. Data was compared among the participants who came for conception before 12 months of marriage and among those who came after 12 months of marriage. SPSS was used to analyze data and the chi-square test was applied.
Results: The mean age of the study participants was 24.65 years. The mean duration of marriage of all participants was 2.52 years. Out of 178 participants 39 (21.91%) participants visited before 12 months of marriage. A significant association of earlier presentation to the clinic for infertility concerns was found with residence in rural areas (X2 = 13.58, p-value < 0.000). However, no association was found between the duration of the presentation with educational status and family type.
Conclusion: Sociodemographic factors influence early clinical visits for infertility concerns. Rural populations are more concerned and presented earlier as compared to urban populations.
References
2. Ventimiglia E, Capogrosso P, Boeri L, Ippolito S, Scano R, Moschini M, Et al. Validation of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine guidelines/recommendations in white European men presenting for couple's infertility. Fertility and sterility. 2016;106(5):1076-82.
3. De Geyter C, Calhaz-Jorge C, Kupka MS, Wyns C, Mocanu E, Motrenko T, et al. ART in Europe, 2014: results generated from European registries by ESHRE: The European IVF-monitoring Consortium (EIM) for the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). Human reproduction. 2018;33(9):1586-601.
4. Ho TT, Le MT, Truong QV, Nguyen VQ, Cao NT. Psychological burden in couples with infertility and its association with sexual dysfunction. Sexuality and Disability. 2020;38(1):123-33.
5. Galhardo A, Cunha M, Pinto-Gouveia J. Psychological aspects in couples with infertility. Sexologies. 2011 Oct 1;20(4):224-8.
6. Naz B, Batool SS. Infertility related issues and challenges: perspectives of patients, spouses, and infertility experts. Pakistan Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. 2017;15(2):3-11.
7. Zhaira D, Nafisa A, Ikram N, Saeed S, Kausar S, Kiani B, Zhaira FH et al. A mosaic of risk factors for female infertility in Pakistan. Journal of Rawalpindi Medical College. 2019;23(2):20-25.
8. Ombelet W. Is global access to infertility care realistic? The Walking Egg Project. Reproductive Biomedicine Online.2014; 28(3): 267-272.
9. Noorbala AA, Ramazanzadeh F, Malekafzali H, Abedinia N, Forooshani AR, Shariat et al. Effects of a psychological intervention on depression in infertile couples. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics.2008; 101(3): 248-252.
10. Cousineau TM, Domar AD. The psychological impact of infertility. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology.2007; 21(2): 293-308.
11. Ali S, Sophie R, Imam AM, Khan FI, Ali SF, ShaikhA, et al. Knowledge, perceptions, and myths regarding infertility among selected adult population in Pakistan: A cross-sectional study. Bio-Medical Central Public Health.2011; 11(1): 760-6.
12. Batool SS, De Visser RO. Psychosocial and contextual determinants of health among infertile women: A cross-cultural study. Psychology, Health & Medicine.2014; 19(6): 673-679.
13. Dolan A, Lomas T, Ghobara T, Hartshorne G. It's like taking a bit of masculinity away from you: Towards a theoretical understanding of men's experiences of infertility. Sociology of Health & Illness.2017; 39(6): 878-892.
14. Wischmann T, & Kentenich H. A couple who cannot conceive: Coping with infertility. Spain: Springer International Publishing; 2017. In Bio-Psychosocial Obstetrics and Gynecology; pp. 249-261.