Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Infertility Among Lebanese Women Experiencing Difficulty Conceiving.

BACKGROUND

Infertility is a significant global challenge, impacting millions of individuals across the world. In Lebanon, where fertility rates are declining, understanding the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of women experiencing infertility is vital to dispelling misconceptions, improving healthcare, and offering better support for those struggling to conceive.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted between June and September 2024, involving 346 Lebanese women from two fertility centers in Beirut. Participants were randomly selected to complete the questionnaire through individual interviews. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed, and generalized linear models were used to explore the influencing factors for each of the knowledge, attitudes, and practice scores.

RESULTS

The results showed that 63.6% of participants had high knowledge, 66.2% had positive attitudes, and 82.1% exhibited good practices. The generalized linear models revealed that being a healthcare provider (β = 0.663), sleeping ≥ 7 h (β = 0.409), and having a history of anxiety (β = 1.258) were associated with higher knowledge scores, while advanced female age as a cause of infertility was linked to lower knowledge (β = -0.997). For attitudes, medical insurance (β = -1.312) and a family income of 1000-2000 USD (β = -2.85) improved attitudes, while smoking (β = 3.874), history of endometrial ablation (β = 5.506), and longer marriage duration (β = 0.135) worsened them. For practices, longer marriage duration (β = 0.012) and a previous assisted reproductive technology (ART) experience (β = 0.154) improved practices, while having a history of respiratory disorder (β = -0.472) decreased practice scores.

CONCLUSION

This study shows that Lebanese women experiencing difficulty conceiving generally have a high level of knowledge, positive attitudes, alongside good related practices toward infertility. However, knowledge gaps and cultural factors remain, highlighting the need for enhanced reproductive health education and specialized trainings for healthcare providers.