RESUMEN
Objective: to identify the frequency of anxiety and depression among women with infertility using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HDS]
Study design: cross sectional study
Place and Duration of study: Baqai Institute of Reproductive Diseases [BIRDS] Karachi, from May 2015 to October 2015
Methodology: married women with primary or secondary infertility were included. The study participants also completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS], a validated tool to measure psychiatric illness [anxiety and depression]. SPSS 20.0 statistical software was used in the statistical analyses
Results: hundred women were interviewed. Seventy percent [n=70] were between 31-40 year of age. The age at marriage was less than 30 year in 69%. Primary infertility [78%] was more common. The mean HADS-A and HADS-D scores were 9.72 +/- 3.97 and 6.05 +/- 4.22 respectively. Seventy five percent of the women with infertility had anxiety. Depression [31%] was comparatively lower among these women. No significant association was found between anxiety and depression with age, years of marriage and infertility duration [pvalue > 0.05]
Conclusion: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale could effectively measure the predominant psychiatric illness [depression and anxiety] among women with infertility. Specific counseling methods should be used for attaining better quality of life