Knowledge and Attitudes towards Perceived Causes of Infertility and Adoption of Child among Infertile Couples: A Cross-sectional Descriptive Study.

Abstract

To investigate the knowledge and attitudes toward perceived causes of infertility and adoption of child among infertile couples in Pakistan Design: Cross-sectional, descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: Public hospitals, private hospitals, and private clinics in Lahore, from December, 2009 to April, 2010. Intervention: A total of 100 infertile couples (20 to 55 years), diagnosed with primary or secondary infertility were recruited via purposive sampling from public and private hospitals and clinics of Lahore. Interview was used for the evaluation of knowledge and attitudes toward perceived causes of infertility and adoption of child among infertile couples. Results: About 40.68% couples reported the cause of infertility to be problems in husband. The reasons were low sperm count, lack of sexual desire, and erectile dysfunction. The highest percentage of couples, 69.51% mentioned the cause as problem within female. The reasons given were irregular menstrual cycle, late age marriage of wife, and psychological sufferings (stress, anxiety, and depression). 40.24% mentioned the cause as unexplained/ idiopathic although they were seeking treatment from infertility clinics whereas 32.92% was of those couples who reported the cause of infertility as problem within both husband and wife. 77% women showed interest in adoption of child. Conclusion: Men and women should be provided with adequate information on infertility and the need for both partners to seek treatment. The need is to create awareness among common masses in general and infertile couples in particular that it is not only the woman who is responsible.