Cross‐sectional pregnancy survey on fertility trends and pregnancy knowledge in Singapore

Abstract

Desire for children is a pertinent national health concern for Singapore due to the falling pregnancy rate. There is an urgent need to conduct a pregnancy survey for our local population to look into our local women's desire for pregnancy and family size, as well as their knowledge of the need for pregnancy supplements, fertility and pregnancy risks with the advanced age of mothers. A cross-sectional survey was mailed to 300 women in a random sample of the female population in the South West region of Singapore. Three hundred women were invited to participate in our survey. Two hundred and sixty eight women (89.3%) responded. The mean age was 30.7 years (range 16-60). 41.8% were married. One in five women (21.8%) in the reproductive age group (below age 40) did not intend to have children. 70.5% of the women with tertiary education wanted children, compared to 56.4% of women with below-secondary education. Most of the respondents were aware of the risks of pregnancy with increasing maternal age, as well as the importance of folic acid, iron and calcium supplements in pregnancy. The present study helps clinicians and policymakers gain an insight into pregnancy issues in Singapore. This is important in formulating population policies and public education programs.