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Students over-estimate fertility

23 October 2014

Students over-estimate fertility

University students in New Zealand significantly over-estimate both age-related fertility and the efficacy of fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF), according to a recent study.

The study by University of Auckland fifth-year medical student, Nathanael Lucas (supervised by Obstetrics and Gynaecology lecturer, Associate Professor Andrew Shelling), questioned 683 University of Auckland students about their knowledge and expectations around fertility.

The 17 questions were based on an Israeli study in 2011 that looked at ‘the fertility myth’ and Israeli students’ knowledge about age-related fertility decline and late pregnancies.

Although New Zealand students correctly identified that fertility declines with age, they over-estimated the rates of pregnancy for both spontaneous and IVF pregnancies.

The study also showed that while students were aware of some of the fertility treatments available, they over-estimated their effectiveness.

Students under-estimated the number and decline of successful pregnancies using IVF and under-estimated these by around 10 percent more than Israeli students.

University students are the most likely group to postpone parenthood, yet several international studies have shown that they over-estimate their fertility.

“Nurses were the most over-optimistic about fertility,” says Mr Lucas. “Medical students were the most convinced that technology would help and less likely to think that weight loss, diet and exercise would help.”

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“Education, law and architecture students were far more likely to put down these health and well-being initiatives,” he says.

“In general students studying health related topics including medicine, nursing and biomed, were no different to other students in their understanding of age-related fertility decline and initiatives or technologies,” says Dr Shelling. “The only exception was those that took human reproduction papers.”

“It shows that more education is needed to help people make informed decisions about reproduction,” he says. “These decisions need to be based on accurate information, rather than incorrect perceptions.”

“It’s important that students are aware of the rate of fertility decline in women, as although fertility treatments and technologies can be effective, they are not guaranteed solutions to an aging woman’s fertility,” says Dr Shelling.

The students questioned were 66 percent female and 33 percent male with a mean age of 22.3 years and a mix of ethnicities including NZ European, Asian, Māori, and Pacific Island. They were also from a cross section of faculties including 30 percent from Medicine, 16 percent from Nursing, 22 percent from Law, 13 percent from Education, and smaller numbers from Biomedical Science and Architecture.

Students were mostly single (69 percent) with 23 percent having a partner and seven percent married. Only 5.2 percent were already parents, but 85 percent wished to become parents in the future. (10 percent of students did not want to be parents and five per cent were unsure).

The survey results indicated a mean age of 28.6 years was considered by students as the ideal age to become a parent.

ENDS

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