Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of healthcare providers among women oncofertility in Iran: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, Iran has witnessed a remarkable increase in the incidence of cancer. This has led to an emerging challenge in the field of oncofertility, which seeks to address the impact of cancer treatments on fertility and endeavors to preserve reproduction. The study assessed healthcare providers' awareness, attitudes, and practices regarding fertility preservation (FP) in Iran.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess healthcare providers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding oncofertility. An online self-made oncofertility survey of twenty-four items was administered to randomly selected participants from a list of healthcare providers registered with the Medical Council. The data were collected anonymously via Google Forms. Descriptive statistics, including number (n), prevalence (%), mean, and standard deviation, were calculated using SPSS 26.0. Additionally, chi-square tests were used to examine associations between categorical variables. Participants were categorized into oncology, obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), and other specialties.

RESULTS

A total of 423 responses were received and analyzed. Approximately 60% of the participants were obstetrics and gynecology subspecialists, while the remaining participants represented various disciplines such as surgery (9.7%), radiotherapy (6.4%), nuclear medicine (5.2%), and pediatrics (1.4%). More than 30% of the participants had not received any specific education about oncofertility, and more than 20% stated that FP strategies are not part of their routine treatment plan for young cancer patients. Oncologists had more education than those in the Obstetrics & Gynecology group. Half the participants were unaware of insurance coverage, and FP options were infrequently recommended.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight the urgent need to enhance healthcare workers' knowledge and attitudes toward FP in Iran and enable them to provide comprehensive support and guidance to cancer patients.