J Med Assoc Thai 2008; 91 (12):1769

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Gender Differences in Infertility-Related Stress and the Relationship between Stress and Social Support in Thai Infertile Couples
Sreshthaputra O Mail, Sreshthaputra R , Vutyavanich T

Objective: To study infertility-related stress among men and women and to examine its relationship with the
level of perceived social support.

Material and Method:
The Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI) and the Personal Resource Questionnaire
(PRQ) were translated into Thai and used to assess the level of infertility-related stress and perceived social
support, respectively, in 238 infertile subjects.

Results:
The global FPI scores for men and women were 154.2 + 18.3 and 154.7 + 22.6, respectively (p >
0.05). There was no significant difference in their perceived social support (PRQ scores = 137.8 + 14.0 and
134.0 + 16.7, respectively). A significant negative correlation (r = -0.1894; p < 0.001) existed between global
stress and social support in women, but not in men.

Conclusion:
Thai infertile couples experienced a high level of stress. Unlike previous studies from Western
countries, there was no gender difference in infertility-related stress.

Keywords:
Gender differences, Infertility stress, Social support

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