Primary versus secondary infertility: Epidemiology and characteristics from a referral hospital in Saudi Arabia
Objective: This study aimed to explore the epidemiology and characteristics of primary versus secondary infertility cases referred to infertility clinics at a major Saudi Arabian referral hospital, as well as potential correlations between patients’ characteristics and infertility types. Methods: Al...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2025-07-01
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| Series: | SAGE Open Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121251352065 |
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| author | Nouf A AlShamlan Reem S AlOmar Abdulrahman Abdulrazzaq Alfryyan Abdulsalam Essam Almuhanna AlJawhara Raed AlSaadoun Halah Raaed AlMuhaidib Mohammad Ghazi Alhaidari Rakan Saud Alharbi Abdullah H Alreedy Nouf A AlTooq Amani S AlOtaibi |
| author_facet | Nouf A AlShamlan Reem S AlOmar Abdulrahman Abdulrazzaq Alfryyan Abdulsalam Essam Almuhanna AlJawhara Raed AlSaadoun Halah Raaed AlMuhaidib Mohammad Ghazi Alhaidari Rakan Saud Alharbi Abdullah H Alreedy Nouf A AlTooq Amani S AlOtaibi |
| author_sort | Nouf A AlShamlan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: This study aimed to explore the epidemiology and characteristics of primary versus secondary infertility cases referred to infertility clinics at a major Saudi Arabian referral hospital, as well as potential correlations between patients’ characteristics and infertility types. Methods: All female patients who visited the infertility clinics between January 2020 and December 2022 were included in this retrospective chart review study. Data were collected on medical histories, medications, diagnostic tests, reproductive characteristics, and the type and cause of infertility. Results: During the study period, a total of 667 female patients attended the infertility clinic. The mean age was 33.64 ± 6.56 years. The mean marriage duration was 79.92 ± 57.17 months, and the mean duration of infertility was 59.80 ± 49.71 months. Of the total patients, 56.07% had secondary infertility, whereas 43.93% had primary infertility. The most frequently defined causes were unexplained, followed by combined factors. Temporal patterns show a gradual, but significant decrease in cases during the COVID-19 pandemic peak months (25.82% reduction between January and April). Results from diagnostic tests were generally normal for most patients. Females with secondary infertility tended to be older (Mean age = 34.64 vs 32.37 years) and had been married for longer (Mean duration 96.18 vs 68.86 months; p -value < 0.001). The duration of infertility was longer for patients with primary infertility. An irregular menstrual cycle was more common in females with the primary type of infertility. Individuals with secondary infertility were significantly more likely to have had previous surgery. Conclusion: Crucial information in the epidemiology of infertility has been found. The older age among secondary infertility, as well as the high proportion of unknown causes warrants further research. Women’s health consultants and family physicians should initiate investigations and manage underlying causes during the waiting period for specialized clinic appointments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a1ec5fb363e14043b4c3dfc1b0627e4a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2050-3121 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | SAGE Open Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-a1ec5fb363e14043b4c3dfc1b0627e4a2025-08-20T03:29:26ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open Medicine2050-31212025-07-011310.1177/20503121251352065Primary versus secondary infertility: Epidemiology and characteristics from a referral hospital in Saudi ArabiaNouf A AlShamlan0Reem S AlOmar1Abdulrahman Abdulrazzaq Alfryyan2Abdulsalam Essam Almuhanna3AlJawhara Raed AlSaadoun4Halah Raaed AlMuhaidib5Mohammad Ghazi Alhaidari6Rakan Saud Alharbi7Abdullah H Alreedy8Nouf A AlTooq9Amani S AlOtaibi10Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Internal Medicine, King Fahd University Hospital, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Family Medicine, Alkhobar Health Network, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Madinah Health Cluster, King Fahad Hospital, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Dermatology, Dammam Medical Complex, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaObjective: This study aimed to explore the epidemiology and characteristics of primary versus secondary infertility cases referred to infertility clinics at a major Saudi Arabian referral hospital, as well as potential correlations between patients’ characteristics and infertility types. Methods: All female patients who visited the infertility clinics between January 2020 and December 2022 were included in this retrospective chart review study. Data were collected on medical histories, medications, diagnostic tests, reproductive characteristics, and the type and cause of infertility. Results: During the study period, a total of 667 female patients attended the infertility clinic. The mean age was 33.64 ± 6.56 years. The mean marriage duration was 79.92 ± 57.17 months, and the mean duration of infertility was 59.80 ± 49.71 months. Of the total patients, 56.07% had secondary infertility, whereas 43.93% had primary infertility. The most frequently defined causes were unexplained, followed by combined factors. Temporal patterns show a gradual, but significant decrease in cases during the COVID-19 pandemic peak months (25.82% reduction between January and April). Results from diagnostic tests were generally normal for most patients. Females with secondary infertility tended to be older (Mean age = 34.64 vs 32.37 years) and had been married for longer (Mean duration 96.18 vs 68.86 months; p -value < 0.001). The duration of infertility was longer for patients with primary infertility. An irregular menstrual cycle was more common in females with the primary type of infertility. Individuals with secondary infertility were significantly more likely to have had previous surgery. Conclusion: Crucial information in the epidemiology of infertility has been found. The older age among secondary infertility, as well as the high proportion of unknown causes warrants further research. Women’s health consultants and family physicians should initiate investigations and manage underlying causes during the waiting period for specialized clinic appointments.https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121251352065 |
| spellingShingle | Nouf A AlShamlan Reem S AlOmar Abdulrahman Abdulrazzaq Alfryyan Abdulsalam Essam Almuhanna AlJawhara Raed AlSaadoun Halah Raaed AlMuhaidib Mohammad Ghazi Alhaidari Rakan Saud Alharbi Abdullah H Alreedy Nouf A AlTooq Amani S AlOtaibi Primary versus secondary infertility: Epidemiology and characteristics from a referral hospital in Saudi Arabia SAGE Open Medicine |
| title | Primary versus secondary infertility: Epidemiology and characteristics from a referral hospital in Saudi Arabia |
| title_full | Primary versus secondary infertility: Epidemiology and characteristics from a referral hospital in Saudi Arabia |
| title_fullStr | Primary versus secondary infertility: Epidemiology and characteristics from a referral hospital in Saudi Arabia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Primary versus secondary infertility: Epidemiology and characteristics from a referral hospital in Saudi Arabia |
| title_short | Primary versus secondary infertility: Epidemiology and characteristics from a referral hospital in Saudi Arabia |
| title_sort | primary versus secondary infertility epidemiology and characteristics from a referral hospital in saudi arabia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121251352065 |
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