title: Increasing fertility knowledge and awareness by tailored education: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Women of reproductive age have insufficient fertility knowledge and awareness. Reproductive lifespan and assisted reproduction are the primary areas in which awareness is lacking. Relatively simple interventions can be used to increase knowledge among university students; however, no intervention has been tested to date in a population with more varied education levels. The aim of this study was to evaluate which intervention most improved fertility knowledge in women attending a fertility centre for oocyte donation. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with three intervention groups: tailored, untailored and control. A questionnaire was administered on the day of the first consultation, and again at the oocyte retrieval. Two hundred and one women were enrolled and completed the pre-test, 109 started the cycle and 90 completed the post-test. The effect of the intervention was measured as the difference between the groups in their score from the pre-test to the post test. Only the tailored group showed a significant increase (+2.5; 95% CI [1.8, 3.3]; P = 0.001). Information relating to a woman's most fertile age and limits for childbearing were the most useful. Tailored oral education, therefore, increases fertility knowledge in young women, particularly in relation to their fertility lifespan.
authors.affiliation: Fundació Privada EUGIN, Barcelona 08029, Spain.
authors.forename: Désirée
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Clínica EUGIN, Barcelona 08029, Spain. Electronic address: rvassena@eugin.es.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vassena
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prat
authors.affiliation: Clínica EUGIN, Barcelona 08029, Spain.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vernaeve
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D037001:Directive Counseling / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D018587:Oocyte Donation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018456:Reproductive Medicine / Q000193:education*; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: age-related infertility; counselling; fertility awareness; fertility knowledge; reproductive life planning