Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Infertility Among Married Women of Indus Hospital in Tando Muhammad Khan
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Abstract
Background: Infertility is an important reproductive health problem associated with substantial clinical, social, and psychological consequences, while locally specific evidence from underserved populations in Pakistan remains limited. Objective: To determine the prevalence of infertility and describe relevant sociodemographic, clinical, and reproductive characteristics among married women attending Indus Hospital, Tando Muhammad Khan. Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study included 151 married women aged 18–40 years recruited through convenience sampling over six months. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, reproductive history, medical history, and lifestyle-related factors. The questionnaire was pilot tested, with an internal-consistency coefficient of Cronbach's α = 0.79. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 25, with categorical variables summarized as frequencies and percentages and chi-square analysis specified for categorical associations. Results: Of 151 participants, 124 (82.1%) were classified as fertile and 27 (17.9%) as infertile. Among women with infertility, 11 (40.7%) had primary infertility and 16 (59.3%) had secondary infertility. The largest age group was 25–29 years (31.8%), 64.9% of participants were housewives, 57.0% lived in urban areas, and 62.3% belonged to nuclear families. Conclusion: Infertility was identified in 17.9% of this hospital-based sample, with secondary infertility accounting for the majority of infertility cases. The findings characterize the reproductive-health burden encountered in this clinical population, although the cross-sectional design and convenience sampling warrant cautious interpretation and limit population-level generalization
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