Effect of male infertility on quality of life

Abstract

Background Infertility is a condition with psychological, economic, medical implications, resulting in trauma and stress, particularly in a social setup, with a strong emphasis on child bearing. Objective To evaluate the effect of infertility on quality of life (QOL) and to determine what variables predict QOL in infertile men in Upper Egypt. Patients and methods This is a case–control study that included 200 married men, comprising 100 infertile men and 100 fertile men with at least one living child. Assessment of QOL was done using the 36-item Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Health Survey. Results Compared with fertile controls, infertile men had lower scores in the following variables: role limitations owing to emotional health, energy/fatigue, emotional well-being, social functioning, and general health (P Conclusions Infertile men had lower QOL than controls, which confirms the need for psychological support for those men.