Prevalence of depression and associated factors among women seeking infertility care at St. Paul’s hospital Millennium medical college, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Abstract
Background: In developing countries, children are highly valued for social, cultural and economic reasons. Infertile and childless women in developing countries are therefore confronted with a series of societal discrimination and stigmatization which may lead to psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression. Even though some research has been done on the prevalence of infertility in Ethiopia, little is known about the psychological impact of childlessness among infertile women. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression and associated factors among infertile women at St. Paul’s hospital millennium medical college, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: Cross sectional study was conducted from November 11/2019 – February 11/2020. We recruited 349 women who came for infertility care and selected by systematic sampling method. Data was collected by trained data collectors using a structured questionnaire and presence of depression was assessed by using Patient health questioner 9. Bivariable and Multi-variable analysis were done to assess the presence of associations in between independent and dependent variables.
Result: The prevalence of depression on women came for infertility care was 147(42.1%). Odds of depression among primary infertility women were (AOR: 3.5, CI 1.5-7.6) higher as compared with women had secondary infertility. Odds of depression among age group of 30-39 years were higher (AOR: 3.7, CI: 1.4-9.6) as compared with age group of 20-29 years. Housewife women were (AOR: 4.4, CI: 1.2-16.3) more depressed as compared with government employee. The odds of depression among those women had history of divorce were (AOR: 4.3, CI: 1.4-13.0) higher as compared with those women didn’t have history of divorce. Odds of depression among women had infertility duration ≥10years were higher (AOR: 10.2, CI: 3.2-33.6) as compared with women had infertility duration <5years. Those women got average monthly income of <5000birr had (AOR: 4.4, CI: 1.3-14.5) more depression as compared with women got monthly income ≥10000birr.
Conclusion and recommendation: Depression is a remarkably high co-morbidity in infertile women. Age of the women, type of infertility, duration of infertility, partners’ educational level, monthly income and occupation of the women are significantly associated with depression. Psychosocial and mental health interventions are important to reduce the burden of this problem.