Women’s Perspectives on Infertility Awareness and Barriers in Chandigarh

Abstract

Introduction: Infertility is recognized as a global public health concern with life time prevalence of 17.5%. Infertility affects 60–80 million couples worldwide and about one fourth living in India. Knowledge about awareness, stigma, and socio-cultural beliefs attached with infertility in community set-up is very limited. Objectives: • To investigate perceptions and challenges of women regarding awareness of infertility and fertility treatment. • To identify their perceived needs facilitators and barriers in seeking treatment for infertility. • To investigate socio-demographic characteristics of women influencing their awareness and perceptions concerning infertility. Methodology: Community-based, cross-sectional mixed-methods study conducted in Chandigarh during January to May 2025. Stratified two-stage random sampling was adopted. A total of 256 women aged 18–49 years were interviewed using semi-structured schedules. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed. Results: Among 256 respondents, 55.9% were aware of infertility treatment; however, only 32.8% knew it is treatable. Education and socioeconomic status were significantly associated with awareness (P<0.05). Private hospitals were the preferred facility (53.1%). High treatment cost (41.4%), lack of family support (34.0%), and fear of side effects (37.5%) were major barriers. Income showed significant association with cost as a barrier (P=0.028). Conclusion: Awareness of infertility treatment among women in Chandigarh remains suboptimal, with misconceptions and stigma prevalent. Barriers include affordability, limited public facilities, and family-related pressures. Affordable and accessible infertility services in public health settings and psychosocial interventions are urgently required.