Assessing Fertility-Related Quality of Life and Psychological Well-being among infertile women

Background Fertility-related quality of life (FertiQoL) and its relationship with psychological distress remain understudied in untreated infertile women. This study examines these associations to inform early interventions in infertility care. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2023 to June 2024, involving 350 infertile women recruited from the Reproductive Health and Infertility Center at Babol University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Data on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, body mass index (BMI), infertility duration and type, Fertility Quality of Life (FertiQoL) scores, and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) scores were extracted from the center’s registry. Results The mean age was 39.7 years, and the mean BMI was 26.5 kg/m². The mean total GHQ score was 53.4 ± 9.2, with significant psychological distress reported in 22.0% of participants. FertiQoL scores were highest in the Emotional domain (63.8 ± 11.4) and lowest in the Relational domain (41.6 ± 12.4), with an overall score of 53.4 ± 3.9. A significant positive correlation was observed between Total GHQ and FertiQoL scores (r = 0.290, p < 0.001). Stepwise regression identified GHQ as the only significant predictor of FertiQoL (R² = 0.084, p < 0.001), while age, BMI, and infertility duration were not. Conclusion Contrary to expectations, higher GHQ scores correlated with better FertiQoL, suggesting potential psychological adaptation mechanisms. Longitudinal studies should explore causality and intervention opportunities.