A Study of Perceived Social Support and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress among Infertile Females

Infertility is a serious health issue affecting millions of people of reproductive age globally. Available data reveal that ۴۸ million couples and ۱۸۶ million individuals have infertility worldwide. This problem is perceived differently in each socio-cultural context in which it is experienced. “Infertility” is a couple’s failure to conceive after ۱۲ months of unprotected sexual intercourse and pregnancy attempts. In-vitro-fertilization (IVF) is a process in which both the egg and sperm are extracted and allowed to fertilize under the lab in petri dish and later these embryos are inserted into the uterus. Most of the studies have been done on infertile women that discuss factors like self-esteem, depression, quality of life, and loneliness. However, there has been no study examining the association between perceived social support and depression, anxiety, and stress among the infertile couple. Considering this lacune the study was conducted to determine perceived social support and depression, anxiety, and stress among infertile females with IVF in Gujarat. Infertility harms females’ mental well-being. ۶۰ females entered into the study, who were treated by an in vitro fertilization process after being diagnosed with infertility. The objectives are the study of the infertile female with the Age (between ۲۶ to ۳۰ and between ۳۱ to ۴۰), Education (Up to ۱۲, Graduate, and Post Graduate), and Social Stigma (Yes or No). The tool used is the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) by Zimet et al. in ۱۹۸۸, which has ۱۲ statements with ۷-point Likert scale and the second tool is depression anxiety and stress scale (DASS) by Lovibond, S.H. and Lovibond, P.F. (۱۹۹۵), which has ۴۲ statement. The obtained data was analyzed using SPSS ۲۳ (Statistical Program for Social Sciences) Packaged Software. The significance level was p<۰.۰۵. In the consequence of this study, it is observed that as the females perceived social support score is lower, the level of depression, anxiety, and stress is automatically higher. We determined that age, education, and social stigma highly influenced female.

Keywords:

Infertility , In-vitro-fertilization , Perceived Social Support , Depression Anxiety , Stress