Document Type : Original Article
Authors
- . Narendiran Krishnasamy
- . Ameya A. Hasamnis 1
- . Sapna S. Patil 2
- . Sedighe JamaliGandomani
- . Mahboube Taebi 3
- . Ali Reza Mirghiasi 4
- . Parisa Nilforoushan 5
1 Unit of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Taylor’s University, Malaysia
2 Unit of Public Health, School of Medicine, Taylor’s University, Malaysia
3 Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
4 Psychiatrist, Modarres Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
5 Department of Counseling, Isfahan University, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Infertility is a crisis in the life of couples that could affect their relationships. The
present study was conducted to evaluate the relation between infertility factors and the quality of
marital relationship in infertile couples who were referred to the Fertility and Infertility Center of Isfahan.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was conducted cross‑sectional on 131 infertile
couples who were referred to the Fertility and Infertility Center of Isfahan and had the inclusion criteria
and were selected using convenient sampling method. Data gathering tool for the present study was
Perceived Relationship Quality Components (PRQC). All the data were analyzed using SPSS software
version 21. Analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistics (independent t‑test and
one‑way analysis of variance). The level of significance was set at 0.05 for all the statistical tests.
RESULTS: The mean score of PRQC for women and men was 84.05 and 88.46, respectively, and
their difference was statistically significant. There was a significant relation between the score of
PRQC in women (P = 0.028) and men (P = 0.030) with the infertility factor. Results showed that the
mean score of perceived quality of different aspects of the marital relationship was significantly lower
when the infertility factor was female (P < 0.05). In women aspects of “satisfaction” (P = 0.024) and
“commitment” (P = 0.011) and in men aspect of “love” (P = 0.004) from the perceived aspects of
relationship had a significant relation with the infertility factor.
CONCLUSIONS: Perceived quality of different aspects of marital relationship had a significant relation
with infertility factor in infertile couples. Results of the present study showed that when infertility had
female causes, the quality of relationship was more affected. Therefore, in infertility counseling,
simultaneous counseling for both spouses with emphasis on women, along with treatments, should
be considered.
Keywords
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