Prevalence of Fibromyalgia in Infertile Women

Background: Fibromyalgia is a functional disorder of growing importance characterized by chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain. It frequently affects women of child bearing age. Infertility is failure to achieve pregnancy within a 12 month period for sexually active individuals under 35 years of age and failure to conceive within a 6 months period for those over 35 years, which can have a major psychosocial impact on the affected person’s life. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of fibromyalgia among a sample of infertile women; and to study its relationship with age, length of marriage, duration and type of infertility. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kamal Al-Samarraee Infertility Center & Infertility Clinic in Baghdad Teaching Hospital on 202 infertile women. Fibromyalgia was diagnosed according to 2012 Canadian Guidelines. Results: Fibromyalgia was reported in 48 women (23.8%). There was a significant association between fibromyalgia and age (P=0.023), longer duration of marriage (P=0.001) and longer duration of infertility (P=0.04), but no significant association with type of infertility whether primary or secondary (P=0.32). Conclusions: The prevalence of fibromyalgia among infertile women was higher than reported in the general population and its occurrence was significantly associated with age, longer duration of marriage and infertility.