J Korean Soc Matern Child Health.  2019 Jul;23(3):191-201. 10.21896/jksmch.2019.23.3.191.

Factors Affecting the Infertility-Related Quality of Life among the Infertility Women

• Lee YH
• Park JS

• KMID: 2454969
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21896/jksmch.2019.23.3.191

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study is to determine the infertility stress, resilience, intimacy and infertility-related quality of life of infertility women in an infertility clinic, and to reveal associated factors of infertility-related quality of life.
METHODS
As a descriptive study, data was collected from 92 infertility women in an infertility clinic. Data was analyzed using t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression.
RESULTS
Infertility stress, resilience, intimacy and infertility-related quality of life averaged 3.1±0.5, 3.7±0.3, 3.3±0.3, 3.2±0.5 respectively. The infertility-related quality of life varied with a statistical significance by marital period, the presence of a burdensome person and burdensome person. Infertility-related quality of life had a negative correlation with infertility stress (r=−0.69, p<0.001), and a positive correlation with resilience (r=0.23, p=0.28) and intimacy (r=0.22, p=0.030). Meaningful variables that influenced infertility-related quality of life were "˜need for parenthood,'"˜social concern in infertility stress' and "˜positive factor in resilience,' and infertility-related quality of life was explained 56.6% by the variables.
CONCLUSION
It is suggested to highlight the importance of the infertility-related quality of life and to develop and execute the nursing intervention program for enhancing resilience and decreasing infertility stress of infertility women in infertility clinics.

Keyword

Infertility; Quality of life; Stress; Resilience; Intimacy

MeSH Terms

Female
Humans
Infertility*
Nursing
Quality of Life*

Reference

Abbey A., Halman LJ., Andrews FM. Psychosocial, treatment, and demographic predictors of the stress associated with infertility. Fertil Steril. 1992. 57:122–8.

Burton PD. The infertility experience of women in New Brunswick. Ottawa: Library and Archives Canada;2005.

Domar AD., Zuttermeister PC., Friedman R. The psychological impact of infertility: a comparison with patients with other medical conditions. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 1993. 14 Suppl:45–52.

Ha YH. Characteristics of MMPI finding in infertile women. J Women Stud. 2017. 22:1–15.

Herrmann D., Scherg H., Verres R., von Hagens C., Strowitzki T., Wischmann T. Resilience in infertile couples acts as a protective factor against infertility-specific distress and impaired quality of life. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2011. 28:1111–7.

Hwang NM., Chae SM., Park SM., Jang IS., Kim HY. A Study on the analysis of the results of unemployment support project and the measures for the benefit of artificial modification in 2013. Sejong (Korea): Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs;2014.

Hwang NM., Hwang JH., Kim JE. Current status and policy directions of support for infertile couples to overcome low birthrate. Sejong (Korea): Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs;2010.

Jung YJ., Kim HY. Factors influencing infertility-related quality of life in women undergoing assisted reproductive techniques: focusing on depression and resilience. Korean J Women Health Nurs. 2017. 23:117–25.

Kim JH. Resilience. Goyang (Korea): Wisdom House;2011. p. 1–5.

Kim JH., Shin HS. A structural model for quality of life of infertile women. J Korean Acad Nurs. 2013. 43:312–20.

Kim M. Relationship between infertility stress and quality of life of infertile women: based on the moderating and mediating effects of sexual satisfaction. J Korean Soc Matern Child Health. 2016. 20:140–51.

Kim M. Stress, depression, and fetal attachment in pregnant women having infertility treatments. Korean J Women Health Nurs. 2014. 20:163–72.

Kim M., Kim S. Development of an uncertainty scale for infertile women. Korean J Women Health Nurs. 2010. 16:3–70. –80.

Kim MO., Nam HA., Youn MS. Infertility stress, depression, and resilience in women with infertility treatments. J Korean Pubilc Health Nurs. 2016a. 30:93–104.

Kim MO., Park JS., Nam HA. Factors associated with marital satisfaction of women under infertility treatments. J Korean Soc Matern Child Health. 2016b. 20:228–38.

Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Assisted reproductive technology (ART) committee. Current status of assisted reproductive technology in Korea, 2007. Korean J Obstet Gynecol. 2010. 53:1052–77.

Lee EK., Park JA. Ego-resilience and the clinical competence of nursing students. J Korean Pubilc Health Nurs. 2013. 27:293–303.

Lee KH. A measure of marital intimacy. Fam Environ Res. 1995. 33:235–49.

Lee KH. Marriage types classified by wives' perception of marital conflict and intimacy. Unpublished doctoral thesis. Seoul (Korea): Seoul National University;1998.

Lee YJ., Kim KB. Lived experience of IVF-ET program. Korean J Women Health Nurs. 2009. 15:43–53.

Min SW., Kim YH., Cho YR. Stress, depression and factors influencing on quality of life of infertile women. J Korean Soc Matern Child Health. 2008. 11:19–32.

National Health Insurance Service. National health insurance statistical yearbook 2004-2014. Wonju (Korea): National Health Insurance Service;2016.

Newton CR., Sherrard W., Glavac I. The fertility problem inventory: measuring perceived infertility-related stress. Fertil Steril. 1999. 72:54–62.

Park MK. A study on relationship between infertile female stress and husband support dissertation. Seoul (Korea): Hanyang University;2007.

Park NS., Yeom MH. A Study on the development of marital relationship enhancement program. Korea J Couns. 2002. 3:337–66.

Shin WY., Kim MG., Kim JH. Developing measures of resilience for Korean adolescents and testing cross, convergent, and discriminant validity. Stud Korean Youth. 2009. 20:105–31.

Women’s Health Nursing Subject Committee. Women’s health nursing. 9th ed. Seoul (Korea): Somoonsa;2017. p. 24–5.

Yang SR., Yeo JH. Effects of irrational parenthood cognition, post traumatic stress disorder and spousal support on quality of life of infertile women. Korean J Women Health Nurs. 2017. 23:145–53.