Serbian medical students’ fertility awareness and attitudes towards future parenthood

AbstractObjectives: Medical students represent a group particularly at risk of involuntary childlessness due to their highly demanding careers and university curriculum. The aim of this study was to investigate Serbian medical students’ attitudes towards future parenthood and their awareness of fertility issues.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among fourth year students at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia, between 12 and 16 December 2016. Data were collected through an anonymous 56-item validated questionnaire, translated into the Serbian language. The participation rate was 87.1%.Results: More than 95% of students, regardless of gender, wanted to have children in the future; most indicated three as the desired number of children. Both genders equally rated the importance of having children. Women rated significantly higher the likelihood of IVF treatment or child adoption if faced with infertility (both p = .001). All students wanted to have their first child before t...