Depression and anxiety among Polish infertile couples--an evaluative prevalence study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of infertility on the severity of anxiety and depression in infertile couples.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study of differences between infertile couples (206 women and 188 men) and fertile couples (n = 190) with symptoms of depression and anxiety, as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory.


RESULTS
Infertile women (35.44%) scored above the cut-off for severe symptoms of depression, compared with 19.47% of fertile women. In the case of anxiety evaluation there was significant total prevalence among infertile women (15.53%). In the male groups there was a comparable frequency of negative results for depression and anxiety and their intensity. Among Female Infertile, depression occurred most frequently in combined infertility, whilst among Male Infertile in male infertility, with a time-frame of 3-6 years causing the creation and severity of depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
The risk factors of depression and anxiety in infertility include: female sex, age over 30, lower level of education, lack of occupational activity, diagnosed male infertility and infertility duration of 3-6 years.
Drosdzol
Agnieszka
A
Woman's Health Chair, The Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland. cor111@poczta.onet.pl
Skrzypulec
Violetta
V
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003710:Demography; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014944:World Health Organization