Women’s Awareness of Reproductive Health
<i>Background and Objectives</i>: reproductive disorders are a serious global concern in medical, social, and demographic contexts. According to estimates, approximately 10–15% of couples around the world suffer from infertility. Numerous studies have shown that modifiable lifestyle fact...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/60/1/158 |
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| author | Oliwia Zalewska Katarzyna Wszołek Małgorzata Pięt Maciej Wilczak Karolina Chmaj-Wierzchowska |
| author_facet | Oliwia Zalewska Katarzyna Wszołek Małgorzata Pięt Maciej Wilczak Karolina Chmaj-Wierzchowska |
| author_sort | Oliwia Zalewska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background and Objectives</i>: reproductive disorders are a serious global concern in medical, social, and demographic contexts. According to estimates, approximately 10–15% of couples around the world suffer from infertility. Numerous studies have shown that modifiable lifestyle factors, such as a high-fat diet, a postponed decision to start a family, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, risky sexual behavior, psychiatric diseases, and chronic stress, have a negative influence on the fertility of women. The main goal of this study is to assess the knowledge of women about reproductive health, infertility risk factors, and causes of infertility and to determine whether the level of this knowledge varies based on sociodemographic variables. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: a survey was conducted among 111 patients who anonymously filled in a questionnaire comprising questions regarding fertility and its deficiencies. The results were analyzed using the Chi-square test and Fisher’s test. <i>Results</i>: the survey results indicated that women had a good or very good level of knowledge of the causes of infertility. The obtained test results were statistically significant (<i>p</i> < 0.05), but the studied group did not possess sufficient knowledge of the symptoms characterizing the diseases related to limited fertility (<i>p</i> > 0.05). The level of knowledge on the diagnosis of infertility did not depend on the age of the examined people, their educational level, or personal experience in this field (<i>p</i> > 0.05). The results also revealed that the awareness of women on reproductive health was poor. The studied women had a low level of knowledge of infertility risk factors, and their knowledge did not correlate with age, educational level, or personal experiences. <i>Conclusions</i>: information on the aspects of reproductive health should be widely disseminated through public educational campaigns, aimed at correcting erroneous convictions among women about the risk factors for infertility and assisting them in improving fertility. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:41:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8e72085affe24e55bddd4fffd732255e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:41:23Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj.art-8e72085affe24e55bddd4fffd732255e2024-01-26T17:35:40ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442024-01-0160115810.3390/medicina60010158Women’s Awareness of Reproductive HealthOliwia Zalewska0Katarzyna Wszołek1Małgorzata Pięt2Maciej Wilczak3Karolina Chmaj-Wierzchowska4Specialized Health Care Center for Mother and Child in Poznan, Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, 60-235 Poznan, PolandDepartment of Maternal and Child Health, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-701 Poznan, PolandFacility of Practical Midwifery Study, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-701 Poznan, PolandDepartment of Maternal and Child Health, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-701 Poznan, PolandDepartment of Maternal and Child Health, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-701 Poznan, Poland<i>Background and Objectives</i>: reproductive disorders are a serious global concern in medical, social, and demographic contexts. According to estimates, approximately 10–15% of couples around the world suffer from infertility. Numerous studies have shown that modifiable lifestyle factors, such as a high-fat diet, a postponed decision to start a family, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, risky sexual behavior, psychiatric diseases, and chronic stress, have a negative influence on the fertility of women. The main goal of this study is to assess the knowledge of women about reproductive health, infertility risk factors, and causes of infertility and to determine whether the level of this knowledge varies based on sociodemographic variables. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: a survey was conducted among 111 patients who anonymously filled in a questionnaire comprising questions regarding fertility and its deficiencies. The results were analyzed using the Chi-square test and Fisher’s test. <i>Results</i>: the survey results indicated that women had a good or very good level of knowledge of the causes of infertility. The obtained test results were statistically significant (<i>p</i> < 0.05), but the studied group did not possess sufficient knowledge of the symptoms characterizing the diseases related to limited fertility (<i>p</i> > 0.05). The level of knowledge on the diagnosis of infertility did not depend on the age of the examined people, their educational level, or personal experience in this field (<i>p</i> > 0.05). The results also revealed that the awareness of women on reproductive health was poor. The studied women had a low level of knowledge of infertility risk factors, and their knowledge did not correlate with age, educational level, or personal experiences. <i>Conclusions</i>: information on the aspects of reproductive health should be widely disseminated through public educational campaigns, aimed at correcting erroneous convictions among women about the risk factors for infertility and assisting them in improving fertility.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/60/1/158reproductive healthwomenknowledgeinfertility |
| spellingShingle | Oliwia Zalewska Katarzyna Wszołek Małgorzata Pięt Maciej Wilczak Karolina Chmaj-Wierzchowska Women’s Awareness of Reproductive Health Medicina reproductive health women knowledge infertility |
| title | Women’s Awareness of Reproductive Health |
| title_full | Women’s Awareness of Reproductive Health |
| title_fullStr | Women’s Awareness of Reproductive Health |
| title_full_unstemmed | Women’s Awareness of Reproductive Health |
| title_short | Women’s Awareness of Reproductive Health |
| title_sort | women s awareness of reproductive health |
| topic | reproductive health women knowledge infertility |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/60/1/158 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT oliwiazalewska womensawarenessofreproductivehealth AT katarzynawszołek womensawarenessofreproductivehealth AT małgorzatapiet womensawarenessofreproductivehealth AT maciejwilczak womensawarenessofreproductivehealth AT karolinachmajwierzchowska womensawarenessofreproductivehealth |