Infertility screening in unmarried women: A scoping review protocol

This scoping review aims to systematically map the landscape of infertility screening in unmarried women.

Infertility screening in unmarried women represents a significant and often neglected area within reproductive health. This population faces unique challenges and barriers, including social stigma, cultural norms, and limited access to care, making a comprehensive understanding of current screening practices essential.

Study selection will be guided by the PCCT framework (Population, Concept, Context, and study type), considering diverse study designs (quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, reviews) and grey literature, focusing on infertility screening in unmarried women.

This scoping review will follow the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and utilize a 14-step framework based on Arksey and O'Malley's methodology, incorporating enhancements by Tricco and Peters. A comprehensive search strategy will be employed, using controlled vocabulary and free-text method. Databases of Web of Science (ISI), PubMed, Scopus and search engines like Google Scholar will be searched, and supplemented by forward and backward citation tracking. Inclusion/exclusion criteria will be applied iteratively. Two independent reviewers will screen titles/abstracts and full texts, resolving disagreements through consensus or a third reviewer. Data will be charted using a predefined template, and findings will be presented in tables and diagrams, accompanied by a narrative synthesis.

This scoping review will provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge regarding infertility screening in unmarried women, a significantly under-researched area. The findings will be critical for informing the development of culturally sensitive guidelines, targeted interventions, and future research to address the reproductive health needs of this underserved population.