IS A HISTORY OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH AN INCREASED RISKOF INFERTILITY IN WOMEN

Researchers have reported an association between self-reported antidep ressant use and increased risk of ovulatory infertility but could not control for confounding by the drug indication. We evaluated the role of depressive symptoms in the development of infertility. We recontact ed a population-based sample of Pawtucket Heart Health Program (PHHP) health survey respondents to perform this case-control study. Self-rep orted infertility was defined as an inability to conceive after 12 mon ths of unprotected intercourse. Controls were women who reported at le ast one pregnancy. The index age for infertile women was the age at wh ich they first experienced fertility problems, and for the fertile wom en it was the age of their first pregnancy. History of depressive symp toms was based on self-report before the index age. Women with a histo ry of depressive symptoms were nearly twice as likely to report infert ility relative to women without a history of depressive symptoms befor e the index age after controlling for potential confounders (90% confi dence interval: 0.9-3.2). Our data suggest that depressive symptoms as well as the drugs used to treat these conditions may play an importan t role in the pathogenesis of infertility. The association between dep ressive symptoms and infertility should be explored further.