A population-based survey on family intentions and fertility awareness in women and men in the United Kingdom and Denmark

BACKGROUND: Across several European countries family formation is increasingly postponed. The aims of the study were to investigate the desire for family building and fertility awareness in the UK and Denmark. METHODS: A population-based internet survey was used among women (n = 1,000) and men (n = 237) from the UK (40%) and Denmark (60%). Data covered socio-demographics, family formation, and awareness of female age-related fertility. Data analysis used descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis for studying associations between low fertility awareness and desired family formation. RESULTS: The majority of all participants desired two or three children. Two-thirds of the childless participants desired a first child at 30+ years, and one-fifth of the women and one-third of the men desired a last child at age 40. Overall, 83% of women and 73% of men were aware that female fertility starts to decline around 25–30 years. Men had significantly lower fertility awareness. Women who underestimated the impact of age on female fertility were significantly more likely to have a desire or attempted their first child at a higher age. CONCLUSION: Even though the majority were aware of the age-related decrease in female fertility, most desired having children at an age when female fertility has declined. Women who were not sufficiently aware of the impact of advanced age were significantly more likely to have their first child at a higher age. There is a need for developing educational programs for women and men in order to increase the population’s knowledge of fertility and risk factors for infertility

A population-based survey on family intentions and fertility awareness in women and men in the United Kingdom and Denmark

Background: Across several European countries family formation is increasingly postponed. The aims of the study were to investigate the desire for family building and fertility awareness in the UK and Denmark.Methods: A population-based internet survey was used among women (n?=?1,000) and men (n?=?237) from the UK (40%) and Denmark (60%). Data covered socio-demographics, family formation, and awareness of female age-related fertility. Data analysis used descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis for studying associations between low fertility awareness and desired family formation.Results: The majority of all participants desired two or three children. Two-thirds of the childless participants desired a first child at 30+ years, and one-fifth of the women and one-third of the men desired a last child at age 40. Overall, 83% of women and 73% of men were aware that female fertility starts to decline around 25–30 years. Men had significantly lower fertility awareness. Women who underestimated the impact of age on female fertility were significantly more likely to have a desire or attempted their first child at a higher age.Conclusion: Even though the majority were aware of the age-related decrease in female fertility, most desired having children at an age when female fertility has declined. Women who were not sufficiently aware of the impact of advanced age were significantly more likely to have their first child at a higher age. There is a need for developing educational programs for women and men in order to increase the population’s knowledge of fertility and risk factors for infertility

Polycystic ovary syndrome as a novel risk factor for atrial fibrillation: results from a national Danish registry cohort study.

Risk factors for atrial fibrillation (AF), including type 2 diabetes and obesity, are highly prevalent in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)1,2, an endocrinological condition affecting up to 18% of women2. Furthermore, raised levels of testosterone, a cardinal symptom of PCOS, are associated with a greater risk of AF and ischemic stroke in women3. We assessed the association between PCOS and AF risk using nationwide registries.This work was funded by the British Heart Foundation (RE/13/6/30180), a doctoral research grant to D.V. from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen (Copenhagen, Denmark), a research fellowship to C.O. from Homerton College, University of Cambridge, a travel fellowship to C.O. from the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology and ReproUnion and this article is part of the ReproUnion collaborative study, co-financed by the European Union, Intereg V Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak

Risk of cardiovascular disease for women with polycystic ovary syndrome: results from a national Danish registry cohort study.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrinological condition affecting up to 18% of reproductive-age women1. Diagnosis requires two or more of the following: (1) menstrual irregularity, (2) hyperandrogenism (excess male hormones) and (3) polycystic ovaries1. Additionally, women with PCOS have higher rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, and, potentially, CVD events1. Given that some PCOS symptoms are specifically pre-menopausal, it is important to understand the CVD risk associated with PCOS across the lifespan. To address this, we conducted a nationwide registry study

The impact of social relations among men and women in fertility treatment on the decision to terminate treatment

STUDY QUESTION Do social support and social strain from social relations have an impact on the decision to terminate fertility treatment among men and women after 1 year of unsuccessful treatment? SUMMARY ANSWER Several functional aspects of social relations show an impact on the probability to terminate treatment; social support from family significantly decreases the probability to terminate and experience of conflicts or problematic communication with the partner significantly increases the probability to terminate treatment. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Fertility patients can experience psychological, physical and economical strain as consequences of infertility and fertility treatment, and previous studies have shown that these pressures increase the probability of deciding to terminate treatment before the treatment options are exhausted. Some studies have indicated that social relations can also have an effect. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This study is part of the prospective Infertility Cohort from the Copenhagen Multi-centre Psychosocial Infertility Research Programme. Baseline data were collected during January 2000–August 2001 among patients recruited at five Danish fertility clinics during their initial visit and follow-up data were collected after 1 year. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS The study group (n = 777; 427 women, 350 men) consisted of patients who did not achieve a live birth or an ongoing pregnancy during follow-up. Social support and strain from the patients' partner, family, family-in-law, friends and colleagues were measured at baseline and the decision to terminate treatment while treatment options were not yet exhausted was measured as the outcome at the 1-year follow-up. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE At the 1-year follow-up, 23% of the study group had decided to terminate treatment. For women, low levels of family support, specifically with regard to infertility, were associated with the termination of treatment after 1 year [odds ratio (OR) 6.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.2–16.8] and, for men, low levels of general family support had a similar impact (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.0–7.0). For men, difficulties in communicating with their partner about the infertility increased the probability of terminating the treatment (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2–4.1) and, for women, frequent conflicts with their partner increased the probability of terminating the treatment (OR 12.4, 95% CI 2.9–54.1). For women, conflicts with friends were also a predictor of treatment termination (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.2–4.2). WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Functional aspects of social relations have an impact on the decision to terminate fertility treatment among men and women. The findings in this study provide new insights into how the close social environment can have implications for men and women going through fertility treatment. FUNDING This study has received support from the Danish Health Insurance Fund (J.nr. 11/097-97), the Else and Mogens Wedell-Wedellsborgs Fund, the manager E. Danielsens and Wife's Fund, the merchant L.F. Foghts Fund, the Jacob Madsen and Wife Olga Madsen's Fund, and the Engineer K.A. Rohde and Wife's Fund. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare