Childbearing Intentions, Fertility Awareness
Conditions
Keywords
Fertility awareness, Attitudes, Intentions, Fertility screening, Couples
Brief summary
Singapore, like many developed countries, is experiencing low birth rates, which is coupled with increasing age at first marriage and birth. In addition, demand for assisted reproduction technology treatments has increased over the years. Fertility awareness surveys have consistently shown that public awareness of age-related fertility decline and the limitations of fertility treatments is generally low, and this may lead to couples not optimising their fertility potential to achieve their family aspirations. This trial aims to study the effect of fertility health screening and fertility awareness tools on knowledge, attitudes and practice around childbearing among young Singaporean married couples.
Interventions
DIAGNOSTIC_TESTFertility Health Screening
Basic fertility health screening comprising an anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test and semen analysis, a doctor's consultation to explain the results, and standardised reproductive counselling by a trained nurse comprising a discussion of reproductive plans (including addressing barriers the couple face), education on age-related fertility decline and limitations of artificial reproductive technologies, advice on the optimal reproductive timing and when to seek further help. An educational brochure will be handed to the couple during the counselling session.
BEHAVIORALFertility Awareness Tools
Online intervention consisting of 1) video targeting fertility education and specific attitudes, social norms and perceived control for having children, 2) a fertility awareness tool (FERTISTAT) and 3) an educational brochure on fertility. This intervention can be self-administered and is therefore easily scalable.
Sponsors
KK Women's and Children's Hospital
Singapore Health Services
Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School
Cardiff University
National Population and Talent Division
Singapore General Hospital
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
25 Years to 34 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Married couple * Both partners should be Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents * Female partner is 25 - 34 years old at time of recruitment * Both partners agreeable and able to complete study procedures
Exclusion criteria
* Already have children, including from previous marriages * Pregnant * Currently undergoing or had previously went for any fertility evaluation and/or treatments * Self-reported history of previous ectopic pregnancy in the female partner * At least 1 partner unable to complete a self-administered questionnaire in English
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in parenthood intentions | Baseline (before intervention) and 6 months later | The difference in the female partner's intended age at first birth at 6 months post-randomization compared to baseline, elicited by a direct question in pre and post-questionnaires. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in fertility awareness | Baseline (before intervention) and 6 months later | The difference in fertility awareness as measured by the Cardiff Fertility Knowledge Scale (CFKS) at 6 months post-randomization compared to baseline. The CFKS is a 13-item scale where each correct answer is assigned 1 point. Points are summed and converted to the % correct fertility knowledge score with a range of 0 - 100%. |
| Conception efforts | 6 moths post-randomization | Proportion of couples who are (a) attempting to conceive, (b) pregnant, (c) who pursued more comprehensive fertility screening and/or (d) who pursued fertility treatment. |
| Birth number | 2 and 3 years post-randomization | Number of births |
| Birth timing | 2 and 3 years post-randomization | Time to first birth |
Countries
Singapore
Outcome results
None listed