Fertility-related quality of life among women attending an infertility clinic in North India: a cross-sectional study

Falak Haider; Reema Kumari

doi:10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20262114

Authors

Falak Haider Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
Reema Kumari Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20262114

Keywords:

Infertility, Quality of life, FertiQoL, Women, Psychological well-being, Infertility treatment

Abstract

Background: Infertility is a significant reproductive health problem that adversely affects the psychological and social well-being of women. Fertility-related quality of life is increasingly recognized as an important component of infertility care. However, limited data are available from North India regarding the quality of life among women seeking infertility treatment. The present study aimed to assess fertility-related quality of life among women attending an infertility clinic at a tertiary care centre in North India.

Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 145 women attending infertility clinics at King George’s Medical University, Lucknow. Women aged 18–40 years diagnosed with primary infertility were enrolled using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Fertility-related quality of life was assessed using the validated fertility quality of life (FertiQoL) scale comprising emotional, mind-body, relational, and social domains. Data were analysed using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 24. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed, and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: The majority of participants were aged 26–30 years (50.3%) and had been undergoing infertility treatment for more than three years (55.1%). Poor quality of life was observed among 62.8% participants, while only 3.4% reported good quality of life. The emotional (63.4%), social (62.1%), and mind-body (60.7%) domains were the most adversely affected components of the FertiQoL scale. Poor quality of life was more common among women with prolonged treatment duration, inadequate emotional support, and higher treatment-related stress.

Conclusion: Infertility has a substantial negative impact on FertiQoL, particularly in emotional and psychosocial domains. Integration of psychological counselling and supportive interventions within infertility care services may help improve the overall well-being of affected women.

References

Vander Borght M, Wyns C. Fertility and infertility: Definition and epidemiology. Clin Biochem. 2018;62:2-10.

Hasan ABMN, Sharif A Bin, Jahan I, Begum MR. Mental health status and the quality of life of infertile women receiving fertility treatment in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study. PLOS Global Public Health. 2023;5(1):e0004271.

Landsman-Dijkstra JJA, Van Wijck R, Groothoff JW. The long-term lasting effectiveness on self-efficacy, attribution style, expression of emotions and quality of life of a body awareness program for chronic a-specific psychosomatic symptoms. Patient Educ Couns. 2006;60:66-79.

Kamboj N, Saraswathy KN, Prasad S, Babu N, Puri M, Sharma A, et al. Women infertility and common mental disorders: A cross-sectional study from North India. PLoS One. 2023;18(1):e0280054.

Gadapani Pathak B, Mburu G, Habib N, Kabra R, Kiarie J, Chowdhury R, et al. Quality of life and its determinants in women with delayed conception in low-mid socioeconomic neighbourhoods of Northern India: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Public Health. 2025;3:e001740.

Peddie VL, van Teijlingen E, Bhattacharya S. A qualitative study of women’s decision-making at the end of IVF treatment. Human Reprod. 2005;20:1944-51.

FertiQoL International. Fertility Quality of Life Questionnaire (2008). 2008. Available at: https://sites.cardiff.ac.uk/fertiqol/files/2015/02/fertiqol-English.pdf. Accessed on 14 March 2026.

Ahmed HM, Khan M, Yasmin F, Jawaid H, Khalid H, Shigri A, et al. Awareness Regarding Causes of Infertility Among Out-patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Cureus. 2020;12(4):e7685.

Dadhwal V, Choudhary V, Perumal V, Bhattacharya D. Depression, anxiety, quality of life and coping in women with infertility: A cross-sectional study from India. Int J Gynecol Obstet. 2022;158:671-8.

Rashidi B, Montazeri A, Ramezanzadeh F, Shariat M, Abedinia N, Ashrafi M. Health-related quality of life in infertile couples receiving IVF or ICSI treatment. BMC Health Serv Res. 2008;8:186.

Aishwarya TP, Thyagaraju C. Psychological distress and quality of life in infertile couples attending infertility clinic in South India: A pilot study. Fertil Steril. 2024;122:e344.

Hahn S, Janssen OE, Tan S, Pleger K, Mann K, Schedlowski M, et al. Clinical and psychological correlates of quality-of-life in polycystic ovary syndrome. Eur J Endocrinol. 2005;153:853-60.

Greil AL, Slauson-Blevins K, McQuillan J. The experience of infertility: A review of recent literature. Sociol Health Illn. 2010;32:140-62.

Van Den Akker OBA. Coping, quality of life and psychological symptoms in three groups of sub-fertile women. Patient Educ Couns. 2005;57:183-9.

Chachamovich JL, Chachamovich E, Ezer H, Cordova FP, Fleck MM, Knauth DR, et al. Psychological distress as predictor of quality of life in men experiencing infertility: a cross-sectional survey. Reprod Health. 2010;7:3.

Pallekona R, Rayapureddy SKK, Benerji T, Parvathaneni KM. Stress, anxiety, and quality of life in women with infertility. J Dr NTR Univ Health Sci. 2025;14:31-9.

Boivin J, Takefman J, Braverman A. The fertility quality of life (FertiQoL) tool: Development and general psychometric properties. Human Reprod. 2011;26:2084-91.

Yadav D, Mishra S, Agrawal A. Assess the Quality of Life and Emotional Distress among Infertile Women in a Tertiary Care Center. Int J Infert Fetal Med. 2024;15:39-49.