A Study on Quality of Life and Psychopathology in Couples with Infertility

Abstract

Patients with infertility show considerable distress along with significant psychiatric morbidity and lower quality of life than others without infertility. The current study aimed at exploring the psychiatric morbidity and quality of life in couples with infertility while comparing gender differences among those with infertility. The sample was 31 couples attending the infertility clinic who were interviewed and screened using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview version 6.0.0 and the WHO Quality of life brief questionnaire. 45.16% of the total study population showed some psychiatric disorder. The quality of life (QOL) scores in couples with infertility and psychiatric morbidity was lower than those without any psychopathology. No major difference across gender was observed except in the social domain QOL scores where females had better scores (p = 0.017). Addressing psychopathology in couples with infertility is must in clinical practice with an aim to improve their overall quality of life.