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Awareness, knowledge, and perceptions of infertility, fertility assessment, and assisted reproductive technologies in the era of oocyte freezing among female and male university students

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

The aims of our study were to analyze university student’s knowledge and attitude towards parenthood, female fertility, fertility assessment, and oocyte freezing and to explore associations between these aspects and the participant’s sex or degree program they were registered for.

Methods

The study was designed as an online-based cross-sectional survey. A total of 1144 participants answered 27 questions. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Linear regression models were employed to explore associations between sex or university program and attitude towards parenthood, fertility assessment, and oocyte freezing.

Results

Female students and students of non-medical degree programs were more likely to plan to have children earlier than male students or students of medical degree programs. Female sex or medical degree program was associated with an overall better knowledge about women’s fertility. The better the participant’s knowledge about fertility, the more likely the students would consider assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments as an option to become pregnant when ovarian reserve is low. The majority of students knew the principal of oocyte freezing but would not consider using it. However, in the case of a low ovarian reserve, oocyte freezing would be accepted as an option.

Conclusions

Students planned to have children at an age when women’s fertility is already declining. Gaps in knowledge about female fertility and the potential of ART were more pronounced in male students and students of non-medical degree programs suggesting an increase of fertility awareness is necessary in these groups to prevent them from infertility and unwanted childlessness.

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Authors’ contributions

Meissner C: acquisition of data, data analysis, drafting the article, final approval of the version to be published; Schippert C: conception and design, revising the article critically for important intellectual content, final approval of the version to be published; von Versen-Höynck F: conception and design, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting the article, final approval of the version to be published.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany

    C. Meissner, C. Schippert & Frauke von Versen-Höynck

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Frauke von Versen-Höynck

Authors
  1. C. Meissner
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  2. C. Schippert
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  3. Frauke von Versen-Höynck
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Frauke von Versen-Höynck.

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Funding

Departmental funds of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Hannover Medical School were used to support the authors throughout the study period and manuscript preparation.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Capsule Gaps in knowledge about female fertility and the potential of ART were more pronounced in male students and students of non-medical degree programs suggesting an increase of fertility awareness is necessary in these groups to prevent them from infertility and unwanted childlessness.

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Meissner, C., Schippert, C. & von Versen-Höynck, F. Awareness, knowledge, and perceptions of infertility, fertility assessment, and assisted reproductive technologies in the era of oocyte freezing among female and male university students. J Assist Reprod Genet 33, 719–729 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-016-0717-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-016-0717-1

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