{"title":"Prevalence and contributing factors of depression among women with infertility in low-resource settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Shimelis Tadesse, Henok Kumsa, Gemeda Wakgari Kitil, Alex Ayenew Chereka, Getnet Gedefaw, Fiker Chane, Esuyawkal Mislu","doi":"10.3389/fmed.2025.1477483","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Depressive symptoms are the most common manifestations of psychiatric disorders among women with infertility. In low-resource settings, the overall prevalence and contributing factors of depressive symptoms among women with infertility remain unknown.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To estimate the prevalence and contributing factors of depression among women with infertility in low-resource settings.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A review was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases were used to identify eligible studies published up to 30 November 2024. Three authors independently extracted the data. Studies that reported depression among women with infertility were included in this review. The data were analyzed with STATA version 14, and a meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effects model. Publication bias and heterogeneity were assessed via Eager's tests and I<sup>2</sup>. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to identify the potential source/s of heterogeneity. A <i>p</i>-value of 0.05 was declared as statistically significant. The findings were synthesized and presented using texts, tables, and forest plots with measures of effect and 95% confidence interval (CI).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Seventeen published cross-sectional studies that met the inclusion criteria with a total of 3,528 women with infertility were selected for this study. The pooled prevalence of depression among women with infertility was 48.77% (95% CI (35.86, 61.67). Good functioning family {OR 0.71 [95% CI (0.51, 0.97), I<sup>2</sup>: 0.00%]}, good husband support {OR 0.52 [95% CI (0.34, 0.79), I<sup>2</sup>: 0.00%]}, primary infertility {OR 2.55 [95% CI (1.36, 4.79), I<sup>2</sup>: 68.53%]}, history of divorce {OR 4.41 [95% CI (2.11, 9.24), I<sup>2</sup>: 0.00%]}, and duration of infertility lasting more than 10 years {OR 6.27 [95% CI (2.74, 14.34), I<sup>2</sup>: 15.26%]} were statistically significant.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Depression was high among women with infertility in low-resource settings such as Africa compared to those in high-income countries, men, and pregnant mothers. Good functioning family, good husband support, primary infertility, history of divorce, and duration of infertility lasting more than 10 years were statistically associated. Therefore, African countries and the stakeholders in collaboration with mental health experts and gynecological care providers should address these problems in order to reduce or prevent depression among women with infertility.</p><p><strong>Systematic review registration: </strong>PROSPERO (ID: CRD42024516458).</p>","PeriodicalId":12488,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Medicine","volume":"12 ","pages":"1477483"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11903282/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Frontiers in Medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2025.1477483","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/1/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Depressive symptoms are the most common manifestations of psychiatric disorders among women with infertility. In low-resource settings, the overall prevalence and contributing factors of depressive symptoms among women with infertility remain unknown.
Objectives: To estimate the prevalence and contributing factors of depression among women with infertility in low-resource settings.
Methods: A review was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases were used to identify eligible studies published up to 30 November 2024. Three authors independently extracted the data. Studies that reported depression among women with infertility were included in this review. The data were analyzed with STATA version 14, and a meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effects model. Publication bias and heterogeneity were assessed via Eager's tests and I2. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to identify the potential source/s of heterogeneity. A p-value of 0.05 was declared as statistically significant. The findings were synthesized and presented using texts, tables, and forest plots with measures of effect and 95% confidence interval (CI).
Results: Seventeen published cross-sectional studies that met the inclusion criteria with a total of 3,528 women with infertility were selected for this study. The pooled prevalence of depression among women with infertility was 48.77% (95% CI (35.86, 61.67). Good functioning family {OR 0.71 [95% CI (0.51, 0.97), I2: 0.00%]}, good husband support {OR 0.52 [95% CI (0.34, 0.79), I2: 0.00%]}, primary infertility {OR 2.55 [95% CI (1.36, 4.79), I2: 68.53%]}, history of divorce {OR 4.41 [95% CI (2.11, 9.24), I2: 0.00%]}, and duration of infertility lasting more than 10 years {OR 6.27 [95% CI (2.74, 14.34), I2: 15.26%]} were statistically significant.
Conclusion: Depression was high among women with infertility in low-resource settings such as Africa compared to those in high-income countries, men, and pregnant mothers. Good functioning family, good husband support, primary infertility, history of divorce, and duration of infertility lasting more than 10 years were statistically associated. Therefore, African countries and the stakeholders in collaboration with mental health experts and gynecological care providers should address these problems in order to reduce or prevent depression among women with infertility.
期刊介绍:
Frontiers in Medicine publishes rigorously peer-reviewed research linking basic research to clinical practice and patient care, as well as translating scientific advances into new therapies and diagnostic tools. Led by an outstanding Editorial Board of international experts, this multidisciplinary open-access journal is at the forefront of disseminating and communicating scientific knowledge and impactful discoveries to researchers, academics, clinicians and the public worldwide.
In addition to papers that provide a link between basic research and clinical practice, a particular emphasis is given to studies that are directly relevant to patient care. In this spirit, the journal publishes the latest research results and medical knowledge that facilitate the translation of scientific advances into new therapies or diagnostic tools. The full listing of the Specialty Sections represented by Frontiers in Medicine is as listed below. As well as the established medical disciplines, Frontiers in Medicine is launching new sections that together will facilitate
- the use of patient-reported outcomes under real world conditions
- the exploitation of big data and the use of novel information and communication tools in the assessment of new medicines
- the scientific bases for guidelines and decisions from regulatory authorities
- access to medicinal products and medical devices worldwide
- addressing the grand health challenges around the world