Psychometric properties of the fertility quality of life instrument in Iranian infertile women

Infertility and its treatment can have a considerable effect on a person’s quality of life (QoL). The Fertility QoL (FertiQoL) questionnaire is currently the most frequently used instrument to measure QoL in people with fertility problems. This study aims to examine the reliability and validity of the FertiQoL in infertile Iranian women.
This cross-sectional study included 155 women with fertility problems in a referral fertility clinic in Tehran, Iran from January to March 2014. A battery of instruments was used: FertiQoL, Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and a demographic questionnaire. Construct validity of the scale was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). We assessed internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha and convergent validity was examined by correlating the FertiQoL with SWLS and HADS.
The results of the CFA generally supported the four-factor model of Core FertiQoL and two-factor model of Treatment FertiQoL. Both FertiQoL modules and their subscales revealed acceptable internal consistency that ranged from 0.643 to 0.911. However, the FertiQoL might be improved if Q15 and T2 items were removed from the scale. These items had low loadings on the Relational and Environment factors which decreased their internal consistency. The FertiQoL and their subscales significantly correlated with both SWLS and HADS, which confirmed convergent validity.
The Persian version of the FertiQoL is a valid, reliable instrument to measure QoL in infertile women and seems to perform as well as the original English Version.