Quality of life of infertile couples in the Gaza Strip, Palestine

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the quality of life of infertile couples who seek in vitro fertilizations (IVFs) by gender in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, from February 2019 to November 2019, among 383 infertile couples selected through convenient sampling. A valid and reliable Arabic version of the fertility quality of life questionnaire (FertiQoL) was used in data collection. One way analysis of variance and independent t-test were applied to compare between males and females. Results: The mean age of males and females was (34.54±8.54) years and (29.28±6.71) years, respectively. More than half of them had university degree (64% and 60%, respectively). The mean duration of infertility was (5.66±3.54) years. The mean males’ scores of FertiQoL and its subscales (emotion, mind/body, social, core, tolerability, and treatment) were significantly higher than females’ scores (P<0.05). Conclusions: Males have higher scores of FertiQoL and its subscales than females. The mean score of FertiQoL increases with better education, but decreases with increase of age, duration of marriage, duration of infertility and number of IVF attempts. Routine psychological assessment and counseling are necessary for infertile women taking into considerations factors affecting their quality of life.

Keywords

• quality of life; infertility; couples; gender; palestine; fertiqol; ivf