Etiology of Infertility and Treatment Outcome in Couples Aged 40 Years or more in a Non-IVF Setting

Abstract

Infertility is a global reproductive problem that has a huge impact on a couple’s life. Different etiological factors contribute to this problem, and the pregnancy outcomes vary depending on the infertility cause and age of the women. This study aimed to investigate the etiology of infertility and pregnancy outcomes in women aged 40 years or more in a non-IVF setting from January 2015 up to December 2019. This study was a descriptive retrospective cohort study that included 207 infertile patients who attended the infertility clinic in SQUH from 1 January 2015 up to 31 December 2019. Data were collected from the hospital’s information system (HIS) and analyzed by using the SPSS program (version 25). There were a total of 207 couples. The study showed that secondary infertility (71.5%) was more prevalent compared to primary infertility (28.5%). About 9.66% of women had live babies after treatment, though the overall pregnancy rate was 12%. Most of the infertility cases were due to female factors (54.1%), followed by male factors (22.7%). The commonest semen characteristic was asthenozoospermia (52.7%). The best outcome was for couples with unexplained infertility where 20.0% of them got normal live babies. The overall live baby rate was 9.66%. Female factors specifically anovulatory disorders remain the commonest cause of infertility. The best outcome was for women with unexplained infertility.