Health-Related Quality of Life for Women Ever Experiencing Infertility or Difficulty Staying Pregnant

Abstract

Introduction

Information on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for women with infertility is limited and does not account for the co-occurrence of chronic conditions or emotional distress.

Methods

We used data from state-added questions on reproductive health included in the 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in seven states. HRQOL indicators included: self-reported health status; number of days in the past 30 days when physical and mental health was not good; number of days in the past 30 days that poor physical or mental health limited activities. We computed rate ratios for HRQOL for women ever experiencing infertility or difficulty staying pregnant compared with women never reporting these conditions; interactions with chronic conditions and depressive disorders were assessed.

Results

Of 7,526 respondents aged 18–50 years, 387 (4.9%) reported infertility only and 339 (4.3%) reported difficulty staying pregnant only. Infertility was associated with an increase in average number of days with poor physical health for women with chronic conditions [rate ratio (RR) 1.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04–3.29] but was protective for women without chronic conditions (RR 0.47, 95% CI 0.29–0.75). Difficulty staying pregnant was associated with an increase in average number of days of limited activity among both women with chronic conditions (RR 2.14, 95% CI 1.32–3.45) and women with depressive disorders (RR 1.72 95% CI 1.14–2.62).

Discussion

Many HRQOL measures were poorer for women who had infertility or difficulty staying pregnant compared to their counterparts; the association was modified by presence of chronic conditions and depressive disorders.

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