A snapshot survey of fertility patients for Fertility Awareness Week (Nov 3-9) has found that the majority felt confused and overwhelmed by the experience of trying to find fertility information.
Just 8% of respondents said their GP had been able to give them the information they needed about their fertility, and only 44% thought their fertility clinic gave them what they needed.
The majority (57%) had found it difficult to find information about fertility and fewer than 1% of respondents were confident that the information they were finding online was accurate and evidence-based. 74% had used social media to source information, but not a single respondent said they were very confident that the information they found this way was accurate. Only 7% of respondents reported being “very confident” that they would be able to identify bias in social media posts about fertility.
Two-thirds of patients (67%) found that information from different sources was conflicting. This was often from social media and online influencers but they also reported that different doctors and different clinics were giving conflicting advice.
When asked how they felt about the experience of trying to find fertility information the most common responses were that they felt overwhelmed, confused, anxious and uncertain. Fewer than 1% of respondents said it made them feel certain about fertility information.
More than 90% had not been told anything during their school education about the possibility of infertility and 98% did not receive any information about family-building options of LGBTQ+ communities.
Gwenda Burns, Chief Executive of The Fertility Alliance said “These results show just how much we’re failing people when it comes to fertility education. That leaves them turning to the internet and social media, where accuracy and trust are major concerns. Fertility impacts so many aspects of people’s lives, yet reliable, evidence-based information is still far too hard to access. We urgently need a national effort to improve fertility education and ensure clear, trustworthy information is available for everyone.”
Kevin McEleny, Chair of the British Fertility Society said: “This study builds on previous work, showing that patients find it difficult to access accurate information about fertility issues, particularly from social media, leading to confusion and anxiety. The British Fertility Society is keen to work with The Fertility Alliance, primary care and educators to improve this situation and help support patients better through this early part of their fertility journey.”