Merck Serono study highlights misconceptions about fertility

Merck Serono has published results from an international study into fertility issues, highlighting a number of common concerns and misconceptions held by patients.

The study, conducted in partnership with Cardiff University and the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council, polled 10,000 women and men from 18 nations, finding that knowledge of fertility risk factors is both low and variable.

For example, less than half of those polled were aware that they should seek help after 12 months of unsuccessfully trying to conceive, while a majority were unaware of the risks that sexually-transmitted illnesses pose to fertility.

It was also found that patients do not feel informed about fertility issues by the mass media, while many fear that treatments for infertility will be stressful and expensive.

Fereydoun Firouz, head of Merck Serono’s fertility and metabolic endocrinology global business unit, said: “We hope that the survey will improve understanding of contemporary fertility issues among all fertility stakeholders and enable them to provide further support to couples.”

Earlier this month, Merck Serono published new data on the clinical progress of its Parkinson’s disease treatment safinamide at the annual meeting of the Movement Disorder Society.