The Effect of Fertility Health Awareness Strategies on Fertility Knowledge and Childbearing in Young Married Couples

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Childbearing Intentions; Fertility Awareness
• Interventions: Behavioral: Fertility Awareness Tools; Diagnostic Test: Fertility Health Screening

• Registration Number: NCT04647136
• Lead Sponsor: Singapore General Hospital

Brief Summary

Singapore, like many developed countries, is experiencing low birth rates, which is coupled with increasing age at first marriage and birth. In addition, demand for assisted reproduction technology treatments has increased over the years. Fertility awareness surveys have consistently shown that public awareness of age-related fertility decline and the limitations of fertility treatments is generally low, and this may lead to couples not optimising their fertility potential to achieve their family aspirations. This trial aims to study the effect of fertility health screening and fertility awareness tools on knowledge, attitudes and practice around childbearing among young Singaporean married couples.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2015-01-21
• Study First Submitted: 2020-09-16
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-11-26
• Study First Posted: 2020-11-30
• Primary Completion: 2024-03-15
• Study Completion: 2024-03-15
• Status Verified: 2025-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-04-11
• Last Update Posted: 2025-04-16

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 841

Inclusion Criteria

• Married couple
• Both partners should be Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents
• Female partner is 25 - 34 years old at time of recruitment
• Both partners agreeable and able to complete study procedures

Exclusion Criteria

• Already have children, including from previous marriages
• Pregnant
• Currently undergoing or had previously went for any fertility evaluation and/or treatments
• Self-reported history of previous ectopic pregnancy in the female partner
• At least 1 partner unable to complete a self-administered questionnaire in English

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Fertility Awareness Tools	Fertility Awareness Tools	Online intervention to provide fertility education and behavioural nudge for optimal reproductive timing.
Fertility Health Screening	Fertility Health Screening	Clinic-based fertility health screening and counselling

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in parenthood intentions	Baseline (before intervention) and 6 months later	The difference in the female partner's intended age at first birth at 6 months post-randomization compared to baseline, elicited by a direct question in pre and post-questionnaires.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in fertility awareness	Baseline (before intervention) and 6 months later	The difference in fertility awareness as measured by the Cardiff Fertility Knowledge Scale (CFKS) at 6 months post-randomization compared to baseline. The CFKS is a 13-item scale where each correct answer is assigned 1 point. Points are summed and converted to the % correct fertility knowledge score with a range of 0 - 100%.
Conception efforts	6 moths post-randomization	Proportion of couples who are (a) attempting to conceive, (b) pregnant, (c) who pursued more comprehensive fertility screening and/or (d) who pursued fertility treatment.
Birth timing	2 and 3 years post-randomization	Time to first birth
Birth number	2 and 3 years post-randomization	Number of births

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

KK Women's and Children's Hospital; 🇸🇬 Singapore, Singapore

Singapore General Hospital; 🇸🇬 Singapore, Singapore