Risk factors for infertility and barriers to treatment in Tanzania: a survey and medical records study.

Background: The burden of infertility is serious for women in high-fertility countries.

Objectives: We sought to identify demographic, behavioral/environmental, and reproductive risk factors for various infertility factors (i.e.

Comparing infertility-related stress in high fertility and low fertility countries.

We surveyed 169 women seeking infertility treatment in Central Tanzania using an abbreviated version of the Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI) to measure infertility-related stress. We compared our FPI results to similar studies in another high fertility country (Ghana) and in three low fertility countries (the US, Canada, and Italy). Tanzanian women reported higher infertility-related stress than women in low-fertility countries but lower stress than Ghanaian women.