The knowledge and attitudes of a UK based population towards ovarian reserve testing and social egg freezing.

Abstract

The consequences of age-related fertility decline could be prevented by an increased uptake in ovarian reserve testing and social egg freezing (SEF) at an appropriate age. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and views of UK-based women towards age-related fertility decline, egg reserve testing and SEF. UK-based women (n = 973) aged 18-50 years were voluntarily recruited from social media groups by convenience sampling between September 2021 and April 2022. Participants completed a previously validated questionnaire regarding their knowledge and opinions of egg reserve testing and SEF. Only 19.5% of participants were aware of the low success rates of IVF at an advanced age. 40.9% and 94.4% of respondents were aware of ovarian reserve testing and SEF, respectively. 86.8% and 86.5% of respondents were open to the idea of having their ovarian reserve checked or to undergo SEF, respectively. When faced with a hypothetical low ovarian reserve, most respondents would seek fertility advice. The benefits of SEF ranked consistently higher than the potential issues. Women who participated in this study were open to taking advantage of ovarian reserve testing and SEF. Our findings also reveal the need for increased education of fertility topics to both the general public and healthcare professionals.