Link between infertility, substance abuse and mental illness in women?

A recent research suggests that women who are struggling with infertility and childless are likelier to become mentally ill. These women are also likelier to abuse drugs and alcohol. Of the 4677 women who were hospitalised with mental health problems, 2507 had not been successful in having children. The analysis excluded women who had dealt with mental problems before. Of the 571 treated for substance abuse, only 195 went on to have children.

That the study only looked at mental health problems where patients were hospitalised proves that there is a chance that these problems only point to the tip of the iceberg. Women who didn't have children were 47% more likely to be hospitalised for schizophrenia. The results were presented this week at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Istanbul.