Assessing Fertility Awareness in Female Medical Students, Trainees, and Attending Physicians [ID: 1374645

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of female physician infertility is greater in comparison to the general public. In this study, we utilized a validated instrument to assess fertility and infertility knowledge among biologically female medical students, trainees, and attending physicians. METHODS: The validated Fertility & Infertility Treatment Knowledge Score (FIT-KS) instrument was distributed from April 2022 to July 2022 to biologically female medical students, trainees, and attending physicians. Demographics were obtained to assess for differences between groups via contingency table analysis. The IRB found this study exempt. RESULTS: Participants answered 20 of the 29-item FIT-KS instrument correctly. Nine items had a less than 50% correct response rate, four pertained to fertility knowledge, and five pertained to infertility treatment knowledge. Most participants (81.4%) correctly identified the years of peak fertility, but 44.8% overestimated the fecundity of a 30-year-old woman and 36.9% underestimated the chance of miscarriage in peak reproductive years. Most participants (76.6%) underestimated in vitro fertilization (IVF) success for a woman under 35 year old and overestimated IVF success for a woman over 44 year old (56.0%). Obstetrics and gynecology performed significantly better on the FIT-KS instrument overall in comparison with other specialties. No differences in performance were present based on participant age, parity, or position. CONCLUSION: Female medical students and physicians recognize that fecundity decreases with age but overestimate successful pregnancy rates with increasing age. In concordance with low knowledge surrounding infertility treatment success, medical trainees are underequipped to make informed family planning decisions while in medical training.