Lifestyle of women attending infertility clinic of a Tertiary Hospital in Puducherry: A pilot study

Lifestyle comprises numerous components that interact with one another to make a person. The paradigm of lifestyle plays a major role in the concept of health-disease continuum, including infertility. Practicing appropriate lifestyle may counter the status of infertility in the women and may help them realize their wish to have a child.

The purpose of this study was to assess the lifestyle and its association with demographic factors of women with infertility.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was done on 30 women with infertility attending the infertility clinic at JIPMER Hospital, Puducherry. The women were selected by systematic random sampling method. Data were collected using a socio-demographic proforma, infertility profile and the lifestyle assessment inventory which included 10 components namely-Physical, Alcohol and other Drugs, Nutritional, Social, Spiritual, Emotional, Stress Control, Intellectual, Occupational and Environment. Descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the data.

Women had scores ranging in the below average lifestyle category in six of the ten components and in both physical wellness and nutrition component, 8 (27%) of the women needed improvement. The only component in which women had scores ranging in excellent lifestyle was environmental wellness among 14 (47%) of them. 15 (50%) women had overall scores ranging in average lifestyle.

Lifestyle an important determinant of (reproductive) health is largely based on a person's attitude and behavior. Therefore women need to be made aware about the appropriate lifestyle choices.