[Public knowledge of the infertility and legal aspects of infertility treatment in Poland]

Wiad Lek. 2018;71(7):1263-1273.
[Article in Polish]

Abstract

Objective: Introduction: The awareness of infertility is limited in Polish society despite the fact that this problem affects around one million couples in our country. Some of them decide to undergo specialistic treatment. Issues pertaining techniques of contributed reproduction are strictly regulated by Polish law.

Patients and methods: Material and methods: The study was conducted among the residents of Lublin in the period from October 1, 2017 to May 1, 2018. The research tool was an original, anonymous questionnaire containing 24 questions. The study group consisted of 164 people. Statistical analysis was performed using T-student test for non-parametric variables.

Results: Results: The majority of the examined group were people who worked the medical profession (71%). It is significant that as much as 79.3% of respondents are religious. Only 8,5% of respondents know that the Polish law on infertility treatment is regulated in Act on the treatment of infertility of 25 June 2015. Almost half of the respondents (44.2%) answered correctly to the question regarding the treatment of infertility according to the binding Act. Only 28,5% of respondents were able to give the definition of embryo included in the Act. Moreover, almost all respondents (92.1%) never met with lectures about legal aspects in the treatment of infertility. Half of the respondents (47.3%) correctly indicated the most common cause of female infertility, the reason of men infertility was correctly indicated more respondents (65.5%).

Conclusion: Conclusions: The respondents knowledge of infertility is more extensive than their knowledge of the legal regulations about infertility treatment. Respondents asked about regulations included in the Act on the treatment of infertility of June 25, 2015 mostly did not answer questions or gave wrong answers. The respondents whose field of study was related to medicine gave more correct answers compared to people who study non-medical fields. Practicing Catholic (45%) more often gave wrong answers.

Keywords: infertility; infertility treatment; legal aspects of infertility treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Humans
  • Infertility / therapy*
  • Male
  • Poland
  • Religion
  • Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires