RESUMO
Background: Infertility has social, psychological and physical effect on couples
Objective: To describe the characteristics of women attending a private clinic for assisted reproductive technology
Subjects and Methods: The infertile couples who came to Lahore Institute of Fertility and Endocrinology [LIFE] from 1[st] January to 31[st] December, 2013 for infertility work up, were included in the study. The sampling technique used in this study was non probability, convenient, and time based, as the study design was cross sectional. Sample size was 534 patients of assisted reproductive technology.[ART]. A questionnaire was used for the data collection. This questionnaire included information on woman's demographics, obstetric and infertility history, radiology and hormone investigation. SPSS version 20 was used for the data analysis
Results: Patients with age less than 35 years were 398 [74%], between 36-39 were 103 [19%] and more than 40 years were 33[6%]. Follicle stimulating hormone [FSH] was less than 9 l U/ ml in 418 [78%] between 9-11 l U/ ml in 83[15%] and greater than 11 l U/ ml in 33[6%]. Patients having regular menstrual cycle were 498 [93%]. Patients having parity were 118 [22%] who had delivered a child. Body mass index [BMI] was less than 25 in 163[30%], between 25-30 in 219[41%], greater than 30 in 152 [28%].As with the female factors, no causes were found in 254 [47%], tubal cause in 120 [22%], PCO in 68 [12%], endometriosis in 13[2%], un-explained causes were found in 79[5%]. Count of antral follicles was 6-8 per ovary in 369 [69%], 3-5 per ovary was 129 [24%], 0-2 per ovary was 36[7%]. Primary infertility was seen in 350 [65%] patients, secondary infertility in 178 [33%], unexplained infertility in 6[1%]. Regarding duration of infertility, in 113[21%] patients it was 2 or less than 2 years, 118 [22%] was 4 years, in 49 [9%] was 5 years, in 87 [16%] was 7 years, in 82 [15%] was 10 years, in 85 [16%] was greater than 10 years
Conclusion: Importance of recognition of infertility as a health issue will not only remove treatment barriers but also improve the health seeking behaviors of the infertile couple. Health education about fertility will ease the social taboos and improve the delivery of health services to infertile couples. Age, FSH, menstrual regularity, parity, BMI, female factor, antral follicles, type of infertility, duration of infertility may have a predictive value forecasting the success of the outcome of IVF. Further research is needed on these lines