Comparison of Psychological Characteristics in Fertile and Infertile Women Referring to Health Centers and Infertility Center in Qom-2017

Background and Aim: In Iran, one quarter of couples experience infertility, which can affect various aspects of their marital life. The aim of this study was to compare psychological characteristics in fertile and infertile women referring to health centers and an infertility center in Qom. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was carried out on 160 women. of all, 80 women were selected via simple random sampling method and were among those in reproductive age who referred to health centers to receive routine childcare services. The other 80 women were selected via simple random sampling method among infertile women who referred to the infertility center. The required data were collected using standard anxiety, depression, and marital adjustment questionnaires. Data were entered into SPSS V.20 software and were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test, independent t-test and Chi-square. Findings: There were a significant difference between the two groups in terms of the mean scores of depression (p=0.005), anxiety (p=0.02), and marital adjustment (p=0.01), as the mean score of depression and anxiety was higher in fertile women than in infertile women. However, the mean score of marital adjustment was higher in infertile women than in fertile women. Conclusion: Since fertility can be dependent on psychological factors and other underlying factors of an individual, therefore, it is necessary to consider the educational needs of fertile and infertile women