title: Epidemiology of infertility: a population-based study in Babol, Iran.
abstract: The aim of researchers in the present study was to determine the prevalence of infertility and self-reported cause of infertility in Babol, Iran and then identify the factors associated with infertility. A retrospective epidemiologic study was conducted of characteristics of urban and rural women related to infertility. A total of 1,140 women aged 20-45 years were selected using cluster sampling. Of these 1,140 women, 59 (5.2%) (CI 4.2, 6.2) were voluntarily childless. Of the remaining 1,081 women, 913 (84.5%) (CI 82.5, 86.5) reported no difficulties in having children, and the remaining 168 (15.5%) (CI 13.5, 17.5) experienced difficulty conceiving at some stage in their lives. The prevalence of ever having primary infertility was 4.3% (CI 2.3, 6.3). The most frequently self-reported causes of infertility in this study were ovulation problems (39.2%). Infertile women were significantly more likely to have a higher age at marriage (p = 0.001), lower education (p = 0.006), higher body mass index (p = 0.0001), long-term health problems (p = 0.0001), a partner who smoked (p = 0.029), and past history of tubal or ectopic pregnancy (p = 0.002). These risk factors may help inform reproductive health clinics and primary healthcare centers about factors associated with infertility.
authors.affiliation: Fatemezahra Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Seddigheh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esmaeilzadeh
authors.forename: Mouloud Agajani
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Delavar
authors.forename: Mahtab
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeinalzadeh
authors.forename: Mohammad-Reza Aghajani
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011247:Pregnancy; D017697:Premenopause; D015995:Prevalence; D011897:Random Allocation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057566:Self Report; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018454:Spouses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult