Childless women's beliefs and knowledge about oocyte freezing for social and medical reasons

STUDY QUESTION What factors inform a woman's decision-making about oocyte freezing to preserve fertility for social and medical reasons? SUMMARY ANSWER Women lacked knowledge about the costs and viability of oocyte freezing as a fertility preservation option for social and medical reasons, and identified health consequences, costs, and viability as being particularly influential in their decision-making. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Having only recently become a viable fertility preservation option, relatively little is known about childless women's beliefs or knowledge about oocyte freezing for social or medical reasons. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION A cross sectional study of 500 childless women was conducted in August, 2015. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS A total of 500 childless, presumed fertile, women from 18 to 38 years of age completed an online, self-report questionnaire assessing beliefs and knowledge about oocyte freezing to preserve fertility for social or medical reasons. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Financial costs (85.6%), health risks to themselves (86.4%) or their offspring (87.8%), and success rates (82%) were the primary factors that women felt would influence their decision to freeze their oocytes. Partner's feelings (88.6%), prognosis for a full recovery (85.4%), and concerns about the health effects of the hormones or oocyte retrieval procedure (85.4%) were identified as being particularly important when considering oocyte freezing for medi...
Source: Human Reproduction - Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Tags: Psychology and Counselling Source Type: research