Women's attitudes and beliefs about using fertility preservation to prevent age-related fertility decline — a two-year follow-up

Abstract

Objective: The health belief and transtheoretical model were used to describe how women make decisions about fertility preservation (FP) and identify factors that predict their decisions. Methods: This is a two-year prospective study with 107 childless women aged 30–37. Women filled an online survey assessing individual factors, intentions to do FP, variables of the health belief model, FP decisional stage and FP behaviour. Results: Women s intentions, desire and number of children wanted decreased, fertility knowledge and perceived susceptibility to infertility increased and perceived severity of infertility decreased. A low number of women progressed through the stages of the decision-making process. Only 14% reached a decision and all decided not to do FP. Women’s baseline intentions to do FP predicted their decision. Conclusion: Women at the optimal age range to do FP (28–35 years) do not engage in decision-making about it, which reflects their initial low intentions to do FP. Women’s decision about FP is influenced by their perceptions about the technique. Pratical implications: Women with a high desire for parenthood and within the optimal age range to do FP should receive accurate information about it and could benefit from prompts to engage in active decision making about doing it.