Prevalence, associated factors and psychosocial consequences of infertility among women of childbearing age in Guinea: Case of a cross-sectional study with an analytical aim carried out in the five municipalities of Conakry city in 2021

Abstract Introduction: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of infertility among women of childbearing age, to identify its explanatory factors and to assess its psychosocial consequences among victims. Methods: This was a 6-month cross-sectional study from 18 June to 18 November 2021 involving 4,910 women of childbearing age (15-49 years) in the five municipalities of Conakry. Medians were used to summarise quantitative variables, and proportions were used to summarise categorical variables. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate factors associated with infertility (p-value ≤ 0.05). GHQ-28 questionnaire items were used to assess the psychosocial impact of infertility in female victims. Results: The overall prevalence of infertility was 17.8% (5.40% primary and 12.4% secondary infertility). Risk factors associated with infertility were non-education (AOR: 6.146; CI: [4.961 - 7.614]), sexually transmitted infections (AOR: 2.461; CI: [1.997 - 3.033]), (AOR: 3.141; CI: [2.291 - 4.307]), salpingitis (AOR: 4.766; AOR: [3.165 - 7.177]), ovarian cystectomies (AOR: 3.286; CI: [2.008 - 5.376]), uterine myomas (AOR: 3.141; CI: [2.291 - 4.307]) and induced abortions (AOR: 3.372; CI: [2.556 - 4.448]). Social stress, feelings of spousal rejection, anxiety, insomnia, somatic injury, depression and psychosocial dysfunction were the main psychosocial consequences of infertility in the women who experienced it. Conclusion: This study showed the importance of the problem of infertility among women of childbearing age in Conakry. It also helped to understand the need to set up and/or strengthen prevention and care interventions (medical and psychosocial) for victims of infertility. Another study taking into account the clinical and Para clinical explorations of women and men improved the understanding of the phenomenon of infertility in Guinea.