Table IV.
Comparison of male and female ART knowledge pre- and 6 months following online fertility education.
| ART knowledge items | True (T) False (F) | Females |
Males |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | Uncertain | Yes | t-score | P-value | No | Uncertain | Yes | t-score | P-value | ||
| 1. For women over 30, overall health and fitness level is a better indicator of fertility than age. | F | 18.5 | 16.0 | 65.4 | 3.228 | .002* | 13.8 | 20.7 | 65.5 | 1.000 | .326 |
| 35.8 | 16.0 | 48.1 | 17.2 | 31.0 | 51.7 | ||||||
| 2. Taking birth control pills for >5 years negatively affects a woman's fertility. | F | 35.8 | 25.9 | 38.3 | .865 | .390 | 20.7 | 37.9 | 41.4 | −0.465 | .646 |
| 40.7 | 23.5 | 35.8 | 20.7 | 31.0 | 48.3 | ||||||
| 3. A woman's eggs are as old as she is. | T | 27.2 | 13.6 | 59.3 | 2.965 | .004* | 41.4 | 20.7 | 37.9 | 1.294 | .206 |
| 14.8 | 12.3 | 72.8 | 37.9 | 6.9 | 55.2 | ||||||
| 4. Prior to a woman reaching menopause, the assisted reproductive technologies (e.g. in vitro fertilization, also known as IVF) can help most women to have a baby using their own eggs. | F | 6.2 | 17.3 | 76.5 | .266 | .791 | 3.4 | 31.0 | 65.5 | .226 | .823 |
| 9.9 | 12.3 | 77.8 | 6.9 | 27.6 | 65.5 | ||||||
| 5. The total cost of one cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF) is under $5000.00. | F | 59.3 | 29.6 | 11.1 | −.910 | .365 | 37.9 | 37.9 | 24.1 | .779 | .442 |
| 53.1 | 33.3 | 13.6 | 48.3 | 31.0 | 20.7 | ||||||
| 6. There is a progressive decrease in a woman's ability to become pregnant after the age of 35. | T | 8.6 | 9.9 | 81.5 | 3.114 | .003* | 0.0 | 13.8 | 86.2 | −1.000 | .326 |
| 2.5 | 1.2 | 96.3 | 3.4 | 17.2 | 79.3 | ||||||
| 7. The rates of miscarriage are significantly higher for women in their 40s than for women in their 30s, even for physically fit women in excellent health. | T | 4.9 | 12.3 | 82.7 | .869 | .387 | 0.0 | 20.7 | 79.3 | .812 | .424 |
| 8.6 | 46.9 | 44.4 | 17.2 | 41.4 | 41.4 | ||||||
| 8. Most Canadian fertility clinics will not provide treatment to women over the age of 45. | F | 16.0 | 45.7 | 38.3 | −1.442 | .153 | 20.7 | 51.7 | 27.6 | −1.154 | .258 |
| 10.6 | 40.4 | 49.0 | 14.6 | 31.3 | 54.2 | ||||||
| 9. Egg freezing before the age of 35 can significantly prolong a woman's fertility. | T | 12.3 | 24.7 | 63.0 | −.660 | .511 | 6.9 | 48.3 | 44.8 | .465 | .646 |
| 11.1 | 33.3 | 55.6 | 13.8 | 27.6 | 58.6 | ||||||
| 10. Sexually transmitted diseases (e.g. chlamydia, gonorrhea) significantly increase the risk of later infertility. | T | 8.6 | 9.9 | 81.5 | .376 | .708 | 20.7 | 17.2 | 62.1 | 2.069 | .048* |
| 7.4 | 9.9 | 82.7 | 3.4 | 17.2 | 79.3 | ||||||
| 11. A man's age is an important factor in a couple's chances of becoming pregnant. | T | 25.9 | 17.3 | 56.8 | 1.182 | .241 | 34.5 | 6.9 | 58.6 | .532 | .599 |
| 22.2 | 11.1 | 66.7 | 20.7 | 24.1 | 55.2 | ||||||
| 12. The use of in vitro fertilization (IVF) poses health risks for a woman. | T | 14.8 | 42.0 | 43.2 | 3.957 | .001* | 17.2 | 58.6 | 24.1 | 1.652 | .110 |
| 18.5 | 37.0 | 44.4 | 17.2 | 34.5 | 48.3 | ||||||
| 13. Children conceived through the use of assisted reproductive technologies such as IVF and ICSI have more long-term health problems than children conceived without the use of these fertility treatments. | T | 56.8 | 27.2 | 16.0 | .000 | 1.00 | 31.0 | 51.7 | 17.2 | −0.528 | .602 |
| 53.1 | 34.6 | 12.3 | 37.9 | 44.8 | 17.2 | ||||||
| 14. The majority of fertility conditions are caused by problems with the woman's fertility. | F | 44.4 | 29.6 | 25.9 | 1.242 | .218 | 24.1 | 44.8 | 31.0 | −0.328 | .745 |
| 53.1 | 27.2 | 19.8 | 27.6 | 31.0 | 41.4 | ||||||
| 15. Most couples have to go through IVF more than once to have a baby. | T | 8.6 | 27.2 | 64.2 | .779 | .438 | 6.9 | 37.9 | 55.2 | .528 | .602 |
| 9.9 | 18.5 | 71.6 | 3.4 | 37.9 | 58.6 | ||||||
| 16. A woman's weight affects her chances of conceiving a child. | T | 7.4 | 9.9 | 82.7 | 1.354 | .180 | 10.3 | 24.1 | 65.5 | .493 | .626 |
| 3.7 | 8.6 | 87.7 | 13.8 | 10.3 | 75.9 | ||||||
| 17. The upper age limit for a man to be treated at most Canadian fertility clinics is 55 years of age. | F | 6.2 | 70.4 | 23.5 | −3.357 | .001* | 17.2 | 48.3 | 34.5 | .000 | 1.00 |
| 4.9 | 48.1 | 46.9 | 17.2 | 48.3 | 34.5 | ||||||
| 18. There is a significant decline in the quality of a man's sperm before the age of 50. | T | 27.2 | 33.3 | 39.5 | 1.315 | .192 | 17.2 | 37.9 | 44.8 | .386 | .702 |
| 22.2 | 28.4 | 49.4 | 13.8 | 37.9 | 48.3 | ||||||
| 19. Smoking cigarettes or marijuana can reduce the quality of a man's sperm | T | 1.2 | 8.6 | 90.1 | −0.893 | .374 | 0.0 | 13.8 | 86.2 | .000 | 1.00 |
| 4.9 | 6.2 | 88.9 | 3.4 | 6.9 | 89.7 | ||||||
| 20. Children born to fathers over the age of 45 have higher rates of learning disabilities, autism, schizophrenia and some forms of cancer. | T | 21.0 | 40.7 | 38.3 | 2.242 | .028* | 17.2 | 44.8 | 37.9 | .465 | .646 |
| 14.8 | 34.6 | 50.6 | 17.2 | 37.9 | 44.8 | ||||||
Upper values in columns represent pre-knowledge items, and lower values represent post-knowledge items.
Values are percentages of sample N = 110; females: n = 81; males: n = 29.
*P < .05.