Couples in which both partners experienced preconception depression faced nearly a 47% higher risk of infertility, according to a recent study.

The cohort study found that preconception depression in either partner was associated with prolonged time to pregnancy (TTP) and increased infertility risk. Conducted across 16 premarital examination centers in China, this prospective analysis followed 16,521 couples attempting conception from April 2019 to June 2021. Depression was evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and reproductive outcomes were tracked at 6 and 12 months post-enrollment.

Findings, published in Human Reproduction Open, showed that 65.6% of couples achieved pregnancy within 6 months, while the infertility rate reached 13.01%. Female preconception depression was linked to a significant reduction in fertility odds and an elevated risk of infertility. Male preconception depression was also associated with a higher infertility risk. Couples in which both partners experienced depression exhibited a 46.9% increase in infertility risk compared with non-depressed pairs.

The researchers hypothesized that depression might interfere with reproductive hormones and reduce the frequency of sexual activity, potentially impacting conception rates. They observed a stronger association between depression and prolonged TTP in women younger than 30 years compared with older women. The findings supported the potential benefit of mental health screening in preconception care, although further research was deemed necessary to determine the impact of treating depression on fertility outcomes.

Full disclosures were provided in the published study.