Psychiatric disorders among infertile men and women attending three infertility clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESNo study has assessed psychiatric disorders among infertile men and women seeking fertility treatment in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, we sought to measure the rate of psychiatric disorders in this population.DESIGN AND SETTINGSThis was a cross-sectional observational study among patients attending infertility clinics at three referral hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between January 2013 and September 2014.PATIENTS AND METHODS406 patients (206 women and 200 men) participated in the study. The approved Arabic version of the MINI tool was used to assess 18 common psychiatric illnesses.RESULTSThe response rate was 81%. Of the men surveyed, only 4.5% self-reported having a psychiatric disorder. Of the women surveyed, only 10.2% reported having a psychiatric disorder. However, using the MINI scale, psychiatric illness was documented in 30% of males and 36.9% of females. The most common diagnoses for both genders were depression (21.7%) and anxiety (21.2%). Significantly more females than males exhibited suicidality and depression. In contrast, significantly more males than females had bipolar disorders and substance-related disorders. A low monthly income among male and female participants and polygamy among female participants were significantly associated with psychiatric disorders.CONCLUSIONSThis study shows that a higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders, particularly depression and anxiety, among infertile men and women in Saudi Arabia is associated with lower income and polygamy. This study highlights the importance of integrated care for alleviating the psychological burden of this unfortunate population and improving outcomes and quality of life. This study also encourages follow-up studies that aim to further understand the complex relationship between fertility and psychological well-being.

Intimate Partner Violence and Psychiatric Comorbidity in Infertile Women - A Cross-Sectional Hospital Based Study

“…A study done in Saudi Arabia also mentioned that depression (26.2%) was more prevalent than the anxiety disorder (22%) in infertile female subjects, and the rates are similar to those of our study. [ 28 ] Suicidal ideas were present in 16% in our study, which was similar to the study finding of Alosaimi et al . [ 28 ] who reported around 17%.…”

The prevalence of anxiety symptoms in infertile women: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Global reports indicated differences in the prevalence of anxiety in infertile couples [21] as infertile women experience a higher level of anxiety than that experienced by infertile men, and the inability to conceive affects anxiety prevalence among the former [22]. The diversity in findings is reflected, for example, in the works of Alosaimi et al [23], Maroufizadeh et al [24], and Volgsten et al [25], who found that anxiety prevalence among infertile women in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Sweden reached rates of 21.8, 58.1, and 14.8%, respectively. Despite the value presented by these studies, however, no metaanalytic research has been devoted to specifically outlining anxiety prevalence with regard to female factors.…”

Assessment of Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Self-Esteem Among Infertile Males

“…These findings are similar with previous studies reported by Abolfotouh et al, (2013) that showed that most of the infertile and fertile males had moderate level of socio-economic status. Other studies reported by Sahraian et al, 2016;Alosaimi et al, 2015;Wang et al, 2015;Ahmadi et al, (2011) stated that majority of the infertile males had moderate level of socio-economic status. While, these findings were not supported by Zhang, 2016;Yusuf et al, 2012& Gulec et al, (2011 who found that most of the infertile males showed low level of socio-economic status.…”