Effect of Self -Care Guidelines on the Quality Of life Among Reproductive- Aged Infertile Women

Abstract

Background: Female infertility and its related problems negatively affect the quality of life. Self-care is very important action in managing infertility and improving patient's quality of life. Aim of this study: To evaluate the effect of using self-care guidelines on the quality of life among infertile women. Subjects and Methods: Quasi-experimental design was conducted at Obstetrics Minia University Hospital (out patient's infertility clinic). A convenient sample of one hundred infertile women was included in this study. Data were collected through two types of tools (a structured interviewing questionnaire sheet and Fertility Quality of Life scale Questionnaire (FertiQoL). In addition to, supportive materials (self-care guidelines) were distributed to the studied group. Results: This study revealed that women had lower total mean score of quality of life 103.2±20.7 in pre-intervention which increased to 121.7 ± 15.5 after the intervention with highly statistically significance in all subscales except relation domain (p<0.000). Conclusion: Female infertility has a varied impact on multiple dimensions of health and QoL as evidenced by this study. Recommendations: Utilization of the developed self-care guidelines for infertile women at out and in patient infertility department. Educational programs should be carried out for nurses to provide them with essential information regarding coping strategies to the infertile women. Further researches needed to be carried out to investigate different factors and their association with prevalence of infertility.