title: Mental health and its personal and social predictors in infertile women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infertility is considered a traumatic stressor for infertile couples, and it becomes a psychosocial crisis for that person. Considering the importance of fertility and based on the cultural and social aspects of it in Iran, the present study aimed to determine mental health and its individual and social predictors in infertile women referring to the infertility center of Al-Zahra hospital in Tabriz, Iran, during 2012-2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a descriptive-correlational study on 345 infertile women referring to Al-Zahra hospital in Tabriz, Iran, via convenient sampling. Data was gathered by the perceived social support questionnaire and mental health questionnaire. To determine the relationship between social support and personal and social characteristics, and mental health, multivariate linear regression was used. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (SD) total score of mental health of women was 29.70 (11.50), the score ranged from 0 to 84. The best condition was below the depression scale, and the worst condition was below the social dysfunction scale. Social support from the family was also a predictor of the mental health of infertile women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study showed that infertile women, in terms of mental health and its subscales, have unfavorable conditions. Moreover, social support from the family is an important factor influencing mental health. Therefore, strengthening the social support of the family to improve the mental health of infertile women seems necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Shirin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasanpour
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Soheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bani
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mirghafourvand
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yahyavi Kochaksarayie
keywords: Infertility; Mental Health; Social Factor; Women