We've reported before at ConceiveOnline.com about the need for more awareness about fertility issues, and the perception that because some older celebrities can conceive well into their 40s, and even their 50s, that these late-in-life pregnancies are relatively easy to achieve -- which is simply not the case for the great majority of women.
Unfortunately, another piece of research is out showing that many of us could use a real-world lesson in fertility. A new study of 246 college students shows that too many young adults may be vastly overestimating how long a woman is likely to be able to conceive, among other misconceptions. The students took a survey that asked them whether they planned to have kids, how much they believed they knew about fertility issues, and where they'd learned this information.
The researchers found that 32 percent of women and 36 percent of men overestimated the age at which women were most fertile. Even more worrisome, "women and men vastly overestimated the age at which women experience a slight decline in their fertility" - 83 percent of women and 91% of men got that wrong. And they also got it wrong when it comes to the age a woman typically experiences a more dramatic decrease in her ability to conceive, and they overestimated the chances that a couple undergoing IVF would become parents after one cycle of treatment.
Because fertility is not taught in schools or elsewhere in any real way, it's not surprising that so many of these students would get this information wrong (it's hard to imagine many other adults would know all this information, either). In fact, even as someone TTC, you may not get all the answers right! Here are some of the survey questions, with the correct answers below - are you ready to test yourself?
1. At what age are women most fertile?
2. At what age is there a slight decrease in women's ability to become pregnant?
3. At what age is there a marked decrease in women's ability to become pregnant?
4. How many couples in the USA are involuntarily childless?
5. Couples that undergo treatment with IVF—what is their chance, on average, of getting a child?
How well did you do?
ANSWERS:
1. [20-24]
2. [25-29]
3. [35-39]
4. [10-19%]
5. [30-39%]
