Economic and Psychological Burden of Infertility Among Women Attending Women Health Hospital, Assiut University

Rational of the study:

Infertility is a significant reproductive health issue for couples worldwide. The effects of infertility are wide-ranging-from mental health issues such as anxiety and depression to social and economic issues such as ostracization and economic problems. Although infertility affects both men and women, the woman in a couple is most often blamed for the inability to bear children.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Burden, Infertility
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: economic and psychological burden

Detailed Description

Infertility is a disease of the male or female reproductive system, defined by the failure to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse (WHO).

Large numbers of people are affected by infertility in their lifetime, according to a new report published by World Health Organization. Around 17.5% of the adult population - roughly 1 in 6 worldwide - experience infertility. The inability to conceive children is experienced as a stressful situation by individuals and couples all around the world. The consequences of infertility are manifold and may include societal repercussions and personal emotional suffering. The infertile couple experienced greater dissatisfaction with themselves and their marriages. Females experienced greater discontent over time and had greater emotional problems than males because infertility had traditionally been viewed as a women problem and women have been expected to suffer greater emotional problems due to infertility. Treatment for infertility provides an opportunity for women and men to become parents. The evolution of assisted reproductive technology (ART) for the treatment of infertile couples is considered an extraordinary restorative accomplishment throughout the world. However accessibility of treatments such as IVF is limited to only those who can afford to pay out of pocket (OOP). Even among those who have the ability to pay, their willingness and financial ability to undergo multiple cycles of ART often depends on OOP payments incurred. However, due to the desire for a child, couples are often ready to make significant financial sacrifices often beyond their means. Couples are frequently willing to suffer catastrophic financial hardship instead of forgoing infertility care, resulting in negative economic consequences. Evidence suggests that in the absence of mechanisms for risk protection, OOP payments can push households into poverty.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 480

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Marwa Orabi, Assistant lecturer; Phone Number: 01063495239; Email: Marwa.ma72@aun.med.edu.eg
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Heba Mahmoud, Assistant professor; Phone Number: 01004574523; Email: hebamahmoud@aun.edu.eg

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Data will be collected through a semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire. From IVF unit and outpatient gynecological clinic at women health hospital, Assiut university .

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• • reproductive age group 15 - 49

  • Duration of marriage not less than 1 year.
  • Has regular sexual intercourse without the functional use of contraceptive methods.
  • Free from any other debilitating chronic illness.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women who have any previous psychological disease or treatment

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
infertile women; women suffering from infertility	Behavioral: economic and psychological burden; measuring the economic and psychological burden of infertility
fertile women; women having children not suffering from infertility.	Behavioral: economic and psychological burden; measuring the economic and psychological burden of infertility

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Prevalence of psychological disorders as: anxiety, depression and stress among infertile women.	measuring prevalence of psychological disorders as: anxiety, depression and stress among infertile women using DASS scale	baseline
Financial and economic suffering of infertile couples	Financial and economic suffering of infertile couples	baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Assiut University
• Investigators: Study Director: Omaima ELGibaly, Professor, Professor at Public Health and Community Medicine Faculty of Medicine- Assiut University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Poddar S, Sanyal N, Mukherjee U. Psychological profile of women with infertility: A comparative study. Ind Psychiatry J. 2014 Jul-Dec;23(2):117-26. doi: 10.4103/0972-6748.151682.
• Dyer SJ, Sherwood K, McIntyre D, Ataguba JE. Catastrophic payment for assisted reproduction techniques with conventional ovarian stimulation in the public health sector of South Africa: frequency and coping strategies. Hum Reprod. 2013 Oct;28(10):2755-64. doi: 10.1093/humrep/det290. Epub 2013 Jul 21.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): December 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 27, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 28, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): October 29, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 29, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 28, 2024
• Last Verified: October 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Urogenital Diseases; Genital Diseases; Infertility
• Other Study ID Numbers: burden of infertility on women

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No