Pattern of mental illness among women attending an infertility clinic in Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Female infertility is highly co-morbid with mental illness. In Nigeria, very few studies have been conducted to determine the pattern of mental illness among women with infertility. We aimed to determine the pattern of mental illness in a sample of women with female infertility as well as its associated correlates.

Patients and Methods: A cross sectional two-stage survey of women (n=100) attending an infertility clinic was conducted in a teaching hospital in Nigeria. A 30-item GHQ (General Health Questionnaire) was used to screen the respondents for psychiatric morbidity. GHQ positive cases were subsequently interviewed using the Present State Examination (PSE-9) to diagnose types of mental ill-health.

Results: Depression (n=21) was the commonest psychiatric disorder among the women. Generalised anxiety disorder (n=9) and adjustment disorder (n=3) were also common.

Conclusion: Mental disorders were fairly common among women with infertility. Physicians should screen for this co-morbid disorder in women presenting with infertility problems.

Key words: Infertility, mental illness, women, developing country