title: The fertility quality of life (FertiQoL) tool: development and general psychometric properties.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To develop the first international instrument to measure fertility quality of life (FertiQoL) in men and women experiencing fertility problems, to evaluate the preliminary psychometric properties of this new tool and to translate FertiQoL into multiple languages.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a survey, both online and in fertility clinics in USA, Australia/New Zealand, Canada and UK. A total of 1414 people with fertility problems participated. The main outcome measure was the FertiQoL tool.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FertiQoL consists of 36 items that assess core (24 items) and treatment-related quality of life (QoL) (10 items) and overall life and physical health (2 items). Cronbach reliability statistics for the Core and Treatment FertiQoL (and subscales) were satisfactory and in the range of 0.72 and 0.92. Sensitivity analyses showed that FertiQoL detected expected relations between QoL and gender, parity and support-seeking. FertiQoL was translated into 20 languages by the same translation team with each translation verified by local bilingual fertility experts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FertiQoL is a reliable measure of the impact of fertility problems and its treatment on QoL. Future research should establish its use in cross-cultural research and clinical work.
authors.affiliation: Cardiff Fertility Studies Research Group, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Park Place, Cardiff Wales CF10 3AT, UK. boivin@cardiff.ac.uk
authors.forename: Jacky
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boivin
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Takefman
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Braverman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014177:Translations