Medical Students' Knowledge of Fertility Awareness-Based Methods of Family Planning

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Reproductive Health
• Family Planning

Background:

• Medical school curricula often omit fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs).
• FABMs are a sought-after and valid family planning option for patients.
• There is a need to assess and improve medical students' understanding and confidence in FABMs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate 3rd-year medical students' knowledge of FABMs.
• To assess students' confidence in applying FABM knowledge in patient care.
• To implement targeted education to enhance FABM knowledge and confidence.

Main Methods:

• A pre- and post-rotation questionnaire assessed knowledge and confidence in FABMs among third-year medical students.
• Two lectures on FABMs and their clinical applications were delivered during the OB-GYN rotation.
• McNemar's test analyzed changes in knowledge and confidence scores.

Main Results:

• Medical knowledge scores increased from 38.99% to 53.57% (p < 0.05).
• Confidence in discussing FABMs with patients improved from 1.51 to 3.00 (p < 0.05).
• Confidence in using FABMs for diagnosis/treatment rose from 1.01 to 3.15 (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Brief, focused education effectively boosts medical students' knowledge of FABMs.
• Enhanced student understanding and confidence can improve the provision of FABM counseling and care.
• Integrating FABM education into medical curricula is essential for comprehensive reproductive healthcare training.