Laura Bunting|I. Tsibulsky|Jacky Boivin
Fertility knowledge and beliefs about fertility treatment: findings from the International Fertility Decision-making Study
Economic and Social Research Council|Cardiff University|Merck Serono (Switzerland)|Cardiff University
good fertility knowledge treatment beliefs international sample men women currently trying conceivethe study population modest level fertility knowledge held positive negative views treatmentfew studies examined general fertility treatment attitudes studies specific interventions show attitudes related characteristics patient doctor context research shows fertility knowledge poor however majority studies examined prevalence infertility optimal fertile period andor agerelated infertility women university students andor people highresource countries making difficult generalize findingsa crosssectional sample completed international fertility decisionmaking study ifdms 9month period online via social research panels fertility clinicsparticipants 10 045 people 8355 women 1690 men average 318 years old trying conceive 28 years 539 university educated total 79 countries sample size 100 18 countries 79 countries assigned either high human development index vh hdi high hdi nvh hdi ifdms 45min 64item english survey translated 12 languages inclusion criteria age 18 50 years currently trying conceive least 6 months fertility knowledge assessed using 13item correctincorrect scale concerned risk factors misconceptions basic fertility facts range 0100 correct treatment beliefs assessed positive negative statements fertility treatment rated fivepoint agreedisagree response scaleaverage correct score fertility knowledge 569 greater knowledge significantly related female gender university education paid employment vh hdi prior medical consultation infertility p 0001 mean agreement scores treatment beliefs showed agreement positive items safety efficacy correlated agreement negative items shortlongterm physicalemotional effects p 0001 people given birthfathered child trying conceive less 12 months never consulted fertility problem lived country nvh hdi agreed less negative beliefs hdi duration trying conceive helpseeking also correlates higher positive beliefs alongside younger age living urban area stepchildren greater fertility knowledge associated stronger agreement negative treatment beliefs items p 0001 unrelated positive treatment beliefs itemsthere volunteer bias insofar women people higher education people fertility problems ie met criteria infertility consulted medical doctor conceived fertility treatment participated true vh nvh hdi countries bias may mean people sample better fertility knowledge less favourable treatment beliefs case general populationeducational interventions directed improving knowledge fertility health future prospective research aimed investigating fertility knowledge treatment beliefs affect childbearing helpseeking decisionmaking