STUDY OF DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH PRIMARY INFERTILITY IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE IN NORTH INDIA

Abstract

Background: Fertility is a worldwide human concern and anguish over infertility is its obvious
upshot. The problem of infertility confronts millions of people worldwide. In most cultures, ‘being
childless’ is an undesired social role and infertility is an ‘unexpected life transition’. However, the
infertility estimates use different definitions considering different periods, which makes direct
comparisons difficult between various studies. The definition, as well as the etiological causes
associated with infertility, differs from region to region. It depends on social and physical
characteristics that vary by culture and situation, leading to the absence of the universal definition
of infertility worldwide. Clinicians define infertility as a disease of the reproductive system due to
which women fail to achieve pregnancy after regular unprotected sex for twelve or more months
(WHO, ICMART). In contrast, demographers define it as the inability of women in their
reproductive age (15–49) years to become pregnant after exposure to pregnancy for five or more
years.
Objectives of the study: to determine the prevalence of primary infertility in women aged 18-49
years and to study the demographic risk factors associated with primary infertility.
Materials and Methods: The data were collected by face-to-face interview with the help of
predesigned and pretested questionnaire. Informed consent was taken from the study participants
after explaining them the objectives of the study and ensuring the confidentiality of the data. The
questionnaire was designed to obtain information regarding age, religion, socioeconomic status,
education of women, duration of marriage, age at marriage, occupation status, type of family,
menstruation pattern, age of menarche, first child born after marriage, and family history of infertility. History of menstruation pattern was seen for the time span of 10 years since marriage.
The socioeconomic class of the sample group was determined by modified BG Prasad's
classification. Direct-attached storage scale was used to determine depression, anxiety, and stress.
The interview took approximately 15–20 min per participant.
Discussion and Conclusion: In the present study, out of the 600 eligible women included in the
study, 48 of them had primary infertility in the age group of 18-49 years. The prevalence of primary
infertility in study was found to be (8%). We evaluated the demographic factors associated with
infertility, we found that demographic factors are significantly associated with primary infertility
were higher educational level, staying in nuclear family and higher socioeconomic status. The
prevalence of primary infertility our population was found to be 8%. Knowledge about the
prevalence of infertility and its associated risk factors is extremely important for health-care
providers and policymakers to design and implement various policies related to prevention and
treatment of infertility. We found statistically significant association between demographic factors
and primary infertility.