Assessment of Quality of Life in Men Treated for Infertility in Poland

Lifestyle and fertility-specific quality of life affect reproductive outcomes in couples undergoing in vitro fertilization

Objective

A Mediterranean dietary pattern, sleeping habits, physical activity, and lifestyle appear to affect reproductive health. There are few reports about whether fertility-specific quality of life (QOL) is linked to infertility treatment outcomes. The aim of this study is to investigate when lifestyle factors and fertility-specific QOL are comprehensively considered, which factors influence assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes.

Methods

This prospective cohort includes 291 women undergoing a first ART treatment at multiple centers in Japan and was designed to evaluate the influence of diet, physical activity, sleeping pattern, computer use duration, and fertility-specific quality of life tool (FertiQoL) score on ART treatment outcomes using a questionnaire. The primary endpoint was the good-quality blastocyst rate per oocyte retrieval and the secondary endpoints were a positive pregnancy test and gestational sac (GS) detection.

Results

The good-quality blastocyst rate per oocyte retrieval tended to be negatively associated with frequent fish consumption. After all embryo transfer (ET) cycles, a positive pregnancy test tended to be positively associated with longer sleep and longer computer use (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 0.9-2.7 and OR = 1.7, CI = 1.0-2.8, respectively) and negatively associated with a smoking partner (OR = 0.6, CI = 0.3-1.0). GS detection was positively and significantly associated with frequent olive oil intake and longer computer use (OR = 1.7, CI = 1.0-3.0 and OR = 1.7, CI = 1.0-3.0, respectively). After ET cycles with a single blastocyst, a positive pregnancy test was positively and significantly associated with longer computer use (OR = 2.0, CI = 1.1-3.7), while GS detection was significantly more likely in women with longer computer use (OR = 2.1, CI = 1.1-3.8) and tended to be more likely in women with a higher FertiQoL Total scaled treatment score (OR = 1.8, CI = 1.0-3.3). p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant and 0.05 ≤ p <0.01 as tendency.

Conclusions

Olive oil may be an important factor in dietary habits. Fertility-specific QOL and smoking cessation guidance for partners are important for infertile couples.

Dual mediating effects of social support and fertility stress on mindfulness and fertility quality of life in infertile men: A case-control study

Background

Infertility is one of the three major public health problems in the world, bringing immense physical and psychological damage to men and affecting the quality of men’s fertility life. Thus, the purpose of this study was to analyze the status of social support, fertility stress, mindfulness, and fertility quality of life in infertile men, and to explore the dual mediating effects of social support and fertility stress on mindfulness and fertility quality.

Methods

A case–control group study was conducted, with 246 men in the case group and 149 in the control group. The Social Support Scale, Fertility Stress Scale, Mindfulness Scale, and Fertility Quality of Life Scale were used to establish a structural equation model using Mplus 8.3 to explore social support and fertility stress. Pathway relationships were drawn between mindfulness and fertility quality of life in infertile men.

Results

There were significant differences between infertile and healthy men in each dimension of the core module of fertility quality of life, in the total score of the treatment module, in the total score of social support, in subjective and objective support, and in the total score of fertility stress, social pressure, sexual pressure, marital relationship, and childless pressure (p &lt; 0.05 in each case). Further, the fertility quality of life in infertile men was positively correlated with mindfulness and social support, and negatively correlated with fertility stress (p &lt; 0.05); mindfulness could directly affect the core and treatment modules of fertility life quality, and indirectly affect the core of fertility life quality through social support (mediation effect accounted for 19.0%), while the treatment module (mediation effect accounted for 13.7%), and the core module indirectly affected fertility life quality through fertility stress (mediation effect accounted for 16.8%).

Conclusion

The fertility quality of life of infertile men is not optimistic. Mindfulness-related interventions and programs can improve their fertility quality of life.

Prevalence and predictive factors for infertility-related stress among infertile couples: A cross-sectional study from Jordan and the occupied Palestinian territories

OBJECTIVES

To assess the level of infertility-related stress, associated socio-economic, and demographic factors among infertile couples living in Jordan and those living under the chronic Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the occupied Palestinian territories.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was carried out in a number of fertility and reproductive clinics in Jordan and occupied Palestinian territories over a period of 6 months. Trained clinical pharmacists interviewed the identified couples.

RESULTS

A total of 443 participants were interviewed. Three variables were significantly and independently associated with global stress scores. The need of parenthood appears higher in women than men among infertile couples in Jordan and Palestine (p=0.005). The country of origin (p<0.001) made the greatest contribution of unique variance followed by family type (p=0.035). Additionally, a significant contribution to the model was carried out by the number of clinicians who followed up on the case (p=0.013). The average total cost of treatment since the problem had been diagnosed was 2936±4529 Jordanian dinar, which may be of concern to both Jordanians and Palestinians given the limited resources available in developing nations.

CONCLUSION

This study shows a significant degree of stress among infertile couples. The place of origin, family structure, and presence of medical insurance had a significant impact on the infertility global stress score. This study emphasizes the necessity for specific psychological therapies that are currently lacking in public healthcare practices in both Jordan and Palestine.

Sexual Function, Self-Esteem, and Quality of Life in Infertile Couples Undergoing in vitro Fertilization: A Dyadic Approach

Purpose

Infertility has adverse effects on the quality of life (QoL) of infertile couples. Previous studies found important associations between sexual function, self-esteem and QoL, but mainly focused on one individual’s approach rather than both partners. This study adopted a dyadic approach to evaluate the relationship between sexual function and QoL in couples with infertility through mediation and improving self-esteem.

Patients and Methods

Between October 2020 and January 2021, 428 couples with infertility (n=856) undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) at a tertiary hospital in Hefei, China, were registered for the current descriptive cross-sectional research. The dyads’ sociodemographic and clinical features, as well as their sexual function, self-esteem, and QoL were evaluated. The Fertility quality of life scale (FertiQoL), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and International Index of Erectile Function-15 (IIEF-15) were used to evaluate the participants. The Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM) was utilized to examine data from the dyadic relationships.

Results

According to the APIMeM analysis, sexual function of individuals with infertility was directly and indirectly connected with their QoL, mediated through their self-esteem. The women’s sexual function was found to be positively associated with their partner’s QoL, with the women’s self-esteem acting as a complete mediator. The men’s sexual function was found to be positively associated with partner’s QoL, with the men’s self-esteem acting as a complete mediator.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that boosting participants’ self-esteem can help them and their partners have a better QoL. Also, therapies aimed at improving and sustaining self-esteem of couples with infertility could help mitigate the negative influence of low sexual function on their QoL.