Prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder and its related factors among infertile patients in Iran: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most prevalent anxiety disorders among infertile patients. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of GAD and its associated factors among infertile patients in Tehran, Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 1146 infertile patients in a referral fertility center in Tehran, Iran between May and October 2017. GAD was measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale. The associations between GAD and demographic/fertility characteristics were estimated using simple and multiple logistic regression with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: The mean total GAD-7 score was 6.61 (SD = 5.32). Using a cut-off value of 10, the prevalence of GAD was 28.3%. In adjusted analysis, female sex (OR = 2.54, 95% CI = 1.88–3.42, P < 0.001), low educational level (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.08–1.94, P = 0.012), high infertility duration (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.01–1.09, P = 0.013), and treatment failure (OR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.13–2.04, P = 0.006) were associated with GAD. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of GAD is relatively high in infertile patients. We conclude that all infertile patients should be screened for symptoms of GAD and treated for this disorder as need arises.