Table 1 Characteristics of the studies (n = 32) included in the review

Type of participants considered in the studies:

 Mixed primary and secondary infertility

26(81.3%)

 Only Primary infertility

6(18.7%)

Sex of participants:

 Only women participants

30(93.8%)

 Both men and women participants

2(6.2%)

Publication years

 2010—2014

10(31.3%)

 2015 – 2019

9(28.1%)

 2020 – 2023

13(40.6%)

Reported mean age (Only studies that reported mean age)

 < 30 years

7(33.3%)

 ≥ 30 years

14(66.7%)

Study designs

 Cross-sectional

31(96.9%)

 Cohort/longitudinal

1(3.1%)

Location (region) of the studies^a

 Asia

21(63.6%)

 Africa

8(24.2%)

 North America

2(6.1%)

 South America

0(0%)

 Europe

2(6.1%)

 Australia

0(0%)

Instruments used to measure mental health status by the studies^b

 Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)

6(18.7%)

 Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS)

4(12.5%)

 Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9 scale)

3(9.3%)

 Fertility-Specific Distress Scale

3(9.3%)

 State-Trait Anxiety Inventory

2(6.2%)

 Kessler Six-question Psychological Distress Scale (K-6 score)

2(6.2%)

 General Health Questionnaire

2(6.2%)

 The Copenhagen Multi‐Centre Psychosocial Infertility Stress questionnaire

2(6.2%)

 Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)

2(6.2%)

 General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)

2(6.2%)

 Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS)

2(6.2%)

 Hamilton Depression Rating Scale

1(3.1%)

 Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale

1(3.1%)

 Post-traumatic growth (PTG) scale (21-item scale)

1(3.1%)

 Zung’s self-rating depression assessment scale

1(3.1%)