Fertility education: recommendations for developing and implementing tools to improve fertility literacy†

Mariana V Martins*, Emily Koert, Randi Sylvest, Eri Maeda, Mariana Moura-Ramos, Karin Hammarberg, Joyce Harper

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)
6 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Many recent societal trends have led to the need for fertility education, including the age at which individuals become parents, the development of new reproductive technologies, and family diversity. Fertility awareness has emerged as a concept very recently and is increasingly gaining recognition. However, fertility education is often neglected as there is no consensus on the appropriate content, target populations, or on who should provide it. This article attempts to provide an overview of the use of interventions to improve fertility education. We emphasize the importance of delivering evidence-based information on fertility and reproductive health through various methods while providing guidelines for their standardization and systematization. Recommendations are provided to aid the development and implementation of fertility education tools, including: the establishment of a comprehensive understanding of the target populations; the incorporation of theories of behavioural change; the inclusion of the users' perspectives and the use of participatory research; and the use of specific guidelines for increasing engagement. By following these recommendations, it is expected that fertility education resources can contribute to improving fertility literacy, empowering individuals and couples to make informed reproductive decisions, and ultimately reducing the incidence of infertility and need for fertility treatment.

Original languageEnglish
JournalHuman reproduction (Oxford, England)
Volume39
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)293-302
Number of pages10
ISSN0268-1161
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

Bibliographical note

© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.

Keywords

  • Humans
  • Literacy
  • Fertility
  • Counseling
  • Reproduction
  • Infertility/therapy

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