Factors attributed to depressive symptoms in women coping with infertility during the pandemic of COVID-19

Background: The dissemination of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has led to delayed infertility treatment and fear of contracting the virus which can affect the mental status of women with infertility. This research aimed to investigate whether fear, depression, perceptions, and knowledge related to COVID-19 affected infertility patients in seeking treatment and analyzed factors associated with depression during COVID-19 pandemic. Method: This is a cross-sectional study utilizing an electronic survey distributed to infertility patients attending fertility services between May and July 2021. The primary outcomes were demographic characteristics, clinical parameters of infertility, depressive symptoms based on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score, and fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-1 and FCV-2). Results: A total of 533 patients were included. The fear of infertility treatment suspension due to COVID-19 was perceived by 34.1% of patients. The mean Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score was 4.55 ± 4.248, with mild depression occurring in 33.4% of patients. Low income, delayed treatment, and fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-1) score together could significantly predict depression status. Despite the pandemic, 94.7% of patients decided to continue the treatment. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to stressors that may aggravate the psychological condition of women with infertility. However, the enthusiasm to continue the treatment remains undisturbed. It is imperative to offer emotional support and address the consequences of COVID-19 infection in women with infertility during the pandemic era.