Investigation of the Students' Knowledge about Infertility at Lorestan University of Medical Sciences in 2016

Document Type : Original article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate of Clinical Biochemistry, Student Research Committee, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran

2 Bachelor of Midwifery, Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran

3 Assistant Professor of Reproductive Health, Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Infertility is the inability to conceive after one year of unprotected intercourse. The aim of the present study was to determine the knowledge of the students about infertility at Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 350 students at Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran. The participants were selected using a multistage random sampling method. The data were collected via a questionnaire which sought information regarding demographic characteristics (10 items) and knowledge about infertility (20 items). Subsequently, the data were analyzed in SPSS software (Version 16) through one-way ANOVA and Mann-Whitney test.
Results: The results showed a difference between different age groups and different academic fields regarding the mean scores of knowledge about infertility (P<0.05). Moreover, a significant difference was observed between males and females in terms of the mean knowledge score (P<0.05). However, regarding the mean scores of knowledge, there was no difference among the students whose parents had different educational levels. In addition, no significant difference was observed between married and single students in terms of the mean score of knowledge about infertility.  
Conclusion: According to the obtained results and given the differences in students' knowledge about infertility in different fields of study, it can be concluded that training courses in different academic disciplines can have effects on the improvement of students' knowledge about infertility. Therefore, it is suggested that education authorities pay more attention to this issue and improve students' knowledge about infertility due to its importance and increasing rate of this condition.

Keywords


  1. Sabarre KA, Khan Z, Whitten AN, Remes O, Phillips KP. A qualitative study of Ottawa university students’ awareness, knowledge and perceptions of infertility, infertility risk factors and assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Reprod Health. 2013; 10:41.
  2. Speroff L, Fritz MA. Clinical gynecologic endocrinology and infertility. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2005.
  3. Kukla R. Infertility, epistemic risk, and disease definitions. Synthese. 2017; 9:1-20.
  4. Boivin J, Bunting L, Collins JA, Nygren KG. International estimates of infertility prevalence and treatment-seeking: potential need and demand for infertility medical care. Hum Reprod. 2007; 22(6):1506-12.
  5. Khodakarami N, Hashemi S, Seddigh S, Hamdiyeh M, Taheripanah R. Life experience with infertility; a phenomenological study. J Reprod Infertil. 2010; 10(4):287-97.
  6. Nachtigall RD, Becker G, Wozny M. The effects of gender-specific diagnosis on men’s and women’s response to infertility. Fertil Steril. 1992; 57(1):113-21.
  7. Johnson KM, Greil AL, McQuillan J, Leyser-Whalen O, Shreffler KM. Infertility and tself-identification: the indeterminacy of the illness-self relaionship. Sociol Perspect. 2019; 14:0731121419867691.
  8. Dunkel-Schetter C, Lobel M. Psychological reactions to infertility. Boston, MA: Springer; 1991. P. 29-57.
  9. Meller W, Burns L, Crow S, Grambsch P. Major depression in unexplained infertility. J Psychosom Obstet Gynecol. 2002; 23(1):27-30.
  10. O’Sullivan LF, Udell W, Montrose VA, Antoniello P, Hoffman S. A cognitive analysis of college students’ explanations for engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse. Arch Sex Behav. 2010; 39(5):1121-31.
  11. Koert E, Daniluk JC. Sexual transitions in the lives of adult women. Handbook of stressful transitions across the lifespan. New York: Springer; 2010. P. 235-52.
  12. Mitchell BA. Changing courses: the pendulum of family transitions in comparative perspective. J Compar Fam Stud. 2006; 37(3):325-43.
  13. Tydén T, Svanberg AS, Karlström PO, Lihoff L, Lampic C. Female university students' attitudes to future motherhood and their understanding about fertility. Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2006; 11(3):181-9.
  14. Lampic C, Svanberg AS, Karlström P, Tydén T. Fertility awareness, intentions concerning childbearing, and attitudes towards parenthood among female and male academics. Hum Reprod. 2005; 21(2):558-64.
  15. Skoog Svanberg A, Lampic C, Karlström PO, Tydén T. Attitudes toward parenthood and awareness of fertility among postgraduate students in Sweden. Gend Med. 2006; 3(3):187-95.
  16. Rovei V, Gennarelli G, Lantieri T, Casano S, Revelli A, Massobrio M. Family planning, fertility awareness and knowledge about Italian legislation on assisted reproduction among Italian academic students. Reprod Biomed Online. 2010; 20(7):873-9.
  17. Virtala A, Vilska S, Huttunen T, Kunttu K. Childbearing, the desire to have children, and awareness about the impact of age on female fertility among Finnish university students. Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2011; 16(2):108-15.
  18. Bretherick KL, Fairbrother N, Avila L, Harbord SH, Robinson WP. Fertility and aging: do reproductive-aged Canadian women know what they need to know? Fertil Steril. 2010; 93(7):2162-8.
  19. Wojcieszek AM, Thompson R. Conceiving of change: a brief intervention increases young adults' knowledge of fertility and the effectiveness of in vitro fertilization. Fertil Steril. 2013; 100(2):523-9.
  20. Kazem M, Ali A. An overview of the epidemiology of primary infertility in Iran. J Reprod Infertil. 2009; 10(3):213-6.
  21. Mirzaian B, Hasanzade R, Shahidi M. Comparing sexual attitudes of fertile and infertile couples. J Mazandaran Univ Med Sci. 2012; 21(1):271-81.
  22. Nouri K, Huber D, Walch K, Promberger R, Buerkle B, Ott J, et al. Fertility awareness among medical and non-medical students: a case-control study. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2014; 12(1):94.