Medical students need to be sensitized on Infertility: assessment from an observational study in Puducherry, India

Lal Bahadur Palo; Neelima Singh Chauhan; T Parvathi; Ramesh Chand Chauhan

Volume : V, Issue : X, October - 2015

Medical students need to be sensitized on Infertility: assessment from an observational study in Puducherry, India

Lal Bahadur Palo, Neelima Singh Chauhan, T Parvathi, Ramesh Chand Chauhan

Abstract :

Introduction: Infertility affects an estimated 60 to 80 million couples worldwide. Apart from anatomical, genetic, endocrine and immunological factors several epidemiological factors also contribute to the problem of infertility. In this study, we assessed the level of knowledge on infertility among medical undergraduate students, because they represent the next generation of doctors from whom couples will be seeking treatment for infertility. Methods: A cross–sectional study was conducted by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, among VIIth semester MBBS students. Data was collected in the form of pre– and post–test. Average values for responses were calculated; Chi square test and McNemer test were applied. Results: Overall, the knowledge was moderate regarding risk factors and causes of female infertility. Only half of the students (56.3%) knew about the correct definition of infertility, but majority of them (94.3%) knew that both partners contribute equally to infertility. There was a notable lack of basic knowledge among students about the possible treatment options. But, there was a significant change in the knowledge as proportion of students who gave correct answers was more during the post–test (p value <0.05). Conclusion: Though the knowledge of infertility in medical students is promising, more education programs are recommended regularly to update their knowledge.