AWARENESS AND PERCEPTION OF FERTILITY PRESERVATION AMONG WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE (15–35 YEARS) IN ABUJA METROPOLIS

TOPIC: AWARENESS AND PERCEPTION OF FERTILITY PRESERVATION AMONG WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE (15–35 YEARS) IN ABUJA METROPOLIS

THIS TOPIC IS ALSO SUITABLE FOR:
1. Department of Nursing Science
2. Department of Public Health
This research material contains:
1-Chapter One to Five
2-Recent References/citations
3-Tables/Charts/Graphs in Chapter Four
4-Accurate Data Analysis
5-Table of Contents
6-Questionnare

ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to examine the awareness and perception of fertility preservation among women of childbearing age 15–35 years in Abuja Metropolis. The study was specifically carried out to assess the level of awareness of fertility preservation among women of childbearing age 15–35 years in Abuja Metropolis, examine the perception of fertility preservation among women of childbearing age 15–35 years in Abuja Metropolis, identify the major sources of information on fertility preservation among women of childbearing age 15–35 years in Abuja Metropolis and determine the factors influencing awareness and perception of fertility preservation among women of childbearing age 15–35 years in Abuja Metropolis. The study employed the descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised 240 women of childbearing age residing in Abuja Metropolis, while a validated sample size of 142 respondents was used for the study through a multi-stage sampling technique involving stratified and convenience sampling methods. Hence, a structured questionnaire was used for data collection, while the data collected were analyzed using frequency tables and percentages. The hypotheses were tested using Logistic Regression statistical tool in SPSS. From the responses obtained and analyzed, the findings revealed that there are significant sources of information on fertility preservation among women of childbearing age in Abuja Metropolis, with social media platforms at β = 0.862, Exp(B) = 2.368, P = .003, healthcare professionals at β = 0.735, Exp(B) = 2.085, P = .008, hospitals and clinics at β = 0.914, Exp(B) = 2.494, P = .004, educational campaigns and seminars at β = 1.028, Exp(B) = 2.796, P = .002 and traditional media at β = 0.619, Exp(B) = 1.857, P = .031. The study also revealed that there are significant factors influencing awareness and perception of fertility preservation, including educational level at β = 0.943, Exp(B) = 2.568, P = .002, access to healthcare facilities at β = 1.084, Exp(B) = 2.957, P = .001, and exposure to media and public health campaigns at β = 1.016, Exp(B) = 2.762, P = .002. The study therefore recommends that government agencies, healthcare providers and reproductive health organizations should strengthen public education and awareness campaigns to improve women's knowledge and perception of fertility preservation in Abuja Metropolis.
Keywords: Fertility Preservation, Awareness, Perception, Women of Childbearing Age, Abuja Metropolis.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION (Preview)
1.1 Background to the Study
Human reproduction is one of the most universal aspects of human life and it is a vital element in the continuity of the family, population sustainability and socioeconomic development. Reproductive health has been recognized as an essential part of good health in all societies since the reproductive system affects the physical, mental, and social health of people. Reproductive health has therefore moved beyond the realm of reproductive disorders to a focus on promoting informed reproductive choices and reproductive health throughout the lifespan. The move mirrors a trend to increasing awareness that people ought to have enough information and independence to make choices about their reproductive experiences in their various life stages. Ogbuabor and Nwankwor (2021) noted that reproductive health education improved the ability of the individuals to make informed choices about their reproductive health choices by giving them detailed information on how the reproductive system works and what reproduction entails. Likewise, Adebowale et al. (2023) argued that the provision of reproductive healthcare facilitated optimal reproductive outcomes through the provision of information and access to health services. In addition, Meernik et al. (2022) found that reproductive health literacy, where gains were sustained, enhanced individuals' involvement in preventive health care, and their informed health-seeking behavior. Similarly, Oluwole et al. (2024) claimed that a holistic reproductive health program played a great role in regarding the individual health and facilitating health life trajectory in reproductive health. Together, they highlight the need for reproductive health to support human development and offer a broad conceptual framework for the consequences of specialized reproductive interventions like fertility preservation.
The development of reproductive health care has therefore enabled the rise of fertility preservation, an innovation in modern reproductive medicine. Fertility preservation is the use of medical techniques and procedures deliberately aimed at protecting or maintaining the fertility potential for future childbearing in individuals. These include the freezing of ovarian tissues, embryos and oocytes as well as other reproductive tissues prior to ageing, disease or medical interventions impacting fertility. Ghazeeri et al. (2023) described fertility preservation as a significant breakthrough in reproductive medicine since it opened up opportunities for reproductive life for people who could potentially suffer from future fertility issues. Similarly, De-Guzman et al. (2023) described how technological advances in assisted reproductive technology significantly enhanced the success and availability of fertility preservation techniques in various populations. Wang et al. (2025) also reported that recent improvements in cryobiology and reproductive technologies further increases the fertility potential and success rate of preserved reproductive tissues, further reinforcing the confidence of fertility preservation practices. Likewise, Hussien et al. (2025) reported that the preservation of fertility had become an integral part of reproductive health care, ensuring reproductive autonomy and empowering people to make more informed choices about family planning in the future. The process of fertility preservation has grown from a highly specialized clinical intervention to a streamlined and in-built part of the modern reproductive health care system and continues to change with the advancement of reproductive science and delivery systems to meet the needs of the patient.
As fertility preservation has become increasingly incorporated into reproductive healthcare, attention has equally shifted toward understanding the extent to which individuals are aware of these reproductive opportunities and how they perceive their relevance. Awareness is the having of accurate knowledge and understanding of the existence of, the availability of, and the purpose and the benefits of a concept or a service, while perception is the beliefs, attitudes, interpretations and subjective evaluations that individuals have about such knowledge. The two concepts are embedded in one another, since perception is based on awareness, and the use and interpretation of information is influenced by perception. Chukwudi (2024) confirmed that awareness was the cognitive basis upon which people were able to identify the available reproductive health interventions and understand their importance. Likewise, Osaah et al. (2024) asserted that perception had a significant impact on the process of accepting, understanding and assessing reproductive health information, which in turn affected their behaviour. Ukoji et al. (2022) also noted that awareness alone did not lead to positive health decisions if not supported by positive perceptions and understanding. Further, Adeoye et al. (2024) argued that education status, cultural orientations, exposure to healthcare services, and access to accurate information on reproductive health were factors affecting awareness and perception. These conceptual dimensions are therefore appropriate conceptual lenses to understand women's perspectives about fertility preservation and are essential determinants of reproductive health literacy.
For women of reproductive age, a dynamic period of biological maturation, educational advancement, career development and family formation means the importance of the issue of awareness and perception is even more apparent. In general, women of childbearing age are considered to be those who have the potential to become pregnant and father a child; however, the present study focuses on children between the ages of 15 and 35 years, as this age bracket spans both adolescence and early adulthood when reproductive intentions and fertility related choices are often made. In these few years, women face different reproductive health issues that need proper knowledge and information so that they can make proper decisions. Galhardo et al. (2023) found that women in this reproductive age group were more likely to make nuanced decisions about reproduction based on educational aspirations, career growth, relationship formation, and changing family aspirations. Tadese et al. (2025) also found that there were differences in reproductive health literacy between women based on their education, access to health services, and exposure to reproductive health information. Similarly, Ekholuenetale et al. (2025) found that continuous reproductive health education had a positive impact on women's knowledge and awareness of reproductive health concepts, as well as their ability to make informed decisions regarding their reproductive health. Besides, Hiadzi and Akrong (2026) had argued that the reproductive decision making process among women was a complex interplay of the value placed on their choices, cultural norms, information about health care, and socioeconomic factors. The observations reveal the need to consider women in this age group and note the many developmental and contextual influences that impact their awareness and perception of fertility preservation.
However, the reproductive lives of women of reproductive age are also shaped by the nature of their surroundings, including the context in which they live, especially those in rapid urbanization such as metros where health services, schools, and media connections are still growing. Urban areas tend to have more access to health care facilities, specialized services related to reproduction, access to information on health and reproduction via digital means, and to more professional medical counselling, which leads to a conducive environment for reproductive health education. For urbanization to make reproductive health information more readily known, it required the development of better health care infrastructures and the growth of communication technologies, as noted by Adeoye et al. (2024). Likewise, Osaah et al. (2024) noted that in the metros, women had access to various channels of reproductive health information such as health facilities, educational institutions, social media and online spaces. Oluwole et al. (2024) also noted that increased access to reproductive health services in urban areas had a positive impact on reproductive health literacy, thereby improving women's informed decision-making. Similarly, Meernik et al. (2022) found that contact with health care providers and attendance at structured reproductive health programming also played an important role in women's reproductive knowledge. Abuja Metropolis is one of the fastest growing cities in Nigeria, distinguished by a high level of demographic diversity, growing healthcare facilities, rising educational opportunities and ongoing development of healthcare services in the city. These unique features make the city an ideal context to study women's awareness and perceptions of fertility preservation in the context of a changing urban reproductive health environment.
The foregoing discussion finally leads to the immediate focus of this study, that is, the context of Abuja Metropolis where reproductive health knowledge, accessibility of health care and women's reproductive experiences create a context of academic interest. Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria, is home to a multi-ethnic population of women with different educational, occupational, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds whose reproductive views are influenced by different life experiences. The geographical context had a significant influence on women's knowledge and understanding of reproductive health as the differences in accessibility to healthcare and educational opportunities impacted reproductive health literacy(Ekholuenetale et al. (2025). Ghazeeri et al. (2023) also argued that contextual studies on fertility preservation yielded relevant evidence to help understand women's reproductive health awareness among various groups. Likewise, Wang et al. (2025) found that population-based evaluations played an important role in enhancing comprehension of differences in women's knowledge and perceptions of fertility preservation, across various social contexts. Another study by Hussien et al (2025) highlighted the importance of studying awareness and perception among specific population groups to provide empirical evidence that can guide reproductive health planning and educational programs. In this context, the present study was aimed at enhancing the knowledge and perceptions of women of child bearing age (15–35 years) in Abuja Metropolis with a focus on understanding the awareness and perceptions of the women of Abuja Metropolis on fertility preservation within the context of one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Nigeria.

1.2 Statement of the Problem
Reproductive health continues to play a significant role in human reproduction and fertility which have implications for individual health, family formation and national development. Over the past few years, fertility preservation has emerged as a rapidly growing area of reproductive health care, after the development of assisted reproductive techniques which afford people the chance to protect their future reproductive ability. Women of childbearing age need to be sufficiently aware of the fertility preservation options and make informed perceptions to make appropriate reproductive decisions throughout their reproductive life. This type of knowledge is anticipated to supplement the existing reproductive health education and enhance women's reproductive autonomy. Ghazeeri et al. (2023) state that fertility preservation has emerged as an integral part of reproductive medicine. Likewise, Adebowale et al., (2023) stated that reproductive health education is important as it provides the people with reproductive health knowledge appropriate to their age to help them make informed decisions. Therefore, awareness and perception of women in relation to fertility preservation have grown more significant in creating evidence that can be used in the reproductive health education and informed choices about reproduction.
Although fertility preservation is increasingly relevant in today's reproductive care, evidence indicates that many women of childbearing age have varying and inadequate awareness and perceptions about fertility preservation. Women should have sufficient information about the indications, availability, effectiveness and timing of fertility preservation treatments to support their reproductive decision-making. However, research has shown significant differences in the awareness among women as well as misunderstandings about the fertility preservation and its importance. However, despite the progress in reproductive medicine, many women continue to lack awareness of fertility preservation(Osaah et al., 2024). Similarly, (De-Guzman et al. 2023) noted persistent misconceptions and lack of knowledge about fertility preservation services that persisted in shaping women's perceptions and acceptance of the services. This gap between the anticipated fertility health literacy and the existing degree of awareness is creating confusion around women's understanding of fertility preservation and factors that contribute to their awareness.
There is a wealth of literature on reproductive health and fertility that has thrown light on the subject; however, significant gaps in the understanding of context exist. Most of the earlier studies have focused more on clinical populations or women with specific medical conditions or on populations outside the Nigerian context, with relatively little focus on apparently healthy women of childbearing age in the rapidly urbanizing contexts. Additionally, the available literature often has focused on medical outcomes and fertility preservation utilization, and not included both women's awareness and perception in a single study within particular sociocultural contexts. Aware of something is a critical prerequisite for informed reproductive decision making(Chukwudi (2024). Likewise, Ukoji et al. (2022) argued that perception plays a pivotal role in interpreting and accepting reproductive health information by individuals. Therefore, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding of the level of awareness, perception of fertility preservation among women residing in Abuja Metropolis based on limited context specific evidence; hence, there exists an empirical gap which necessities systematic investigation.
The foregoing issues highlight the importance of assessing women's awareness and perception of fertility preservation among women of child bearing age (15–35 years) in Abuja Metropolis using an empirical approach. Abuja is a fast-growing metropolitan city with a diversified female population with different educational, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds which can impact their reproductive health knowledge and perceptions. If there is no empirical evidence from this setting, then the reproductive health stakeholders may not have enough information to design educational programmes and policies that reflect the reproductive health information needs of women in the metropolis. The aim of this study is therefore to assess the awareness and perception of fertility preservation among women of reproductive age in Abuja metropolis in order to provide context-specific evidence which can be used to contribute to reproductive health education, contribute to the formulation of policies and develop intervention to promote informed reproductive decision-making. Contextual reproductive health evidence benefits in health planning, according to Ekholuenetale et al (2025). Likewise, Oluwole et al. (2024) highlighted the importance of empirical studies in the target population in enhancing evidence-based reproductive health interventions.
1.3 Objective of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to assess awareness and perception of fertility preservation among women of childbearing age (15–35 years) in Abuja Metropolis. The specific objectives of the study seek to:
1.Assess the level of awareness of fertility preservation among women of childbearing age (15–35 years) in Abuja Metropolis.
2.Examine the perception of fertility preservation among women of childbearing age (15–35 years) in Abuja Metropolis.
3.Identify the major sources of information on fertility preservation among women of childbearing age (15–35 years) in Abuja Metropolis.
4.Determine the factors influencing awareness and perception of fertility preservation among women of childbearing age (15–35 years) in Abuja Metropolis.
Other parts of chapter one include:
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypotheses
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Scope of the Study
1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE (Preview)
This chapter critically examines relevant literature that would assist in explaining the research problem and, furthermore, recognizes the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps. This chapter, therefore, focuses on the concept of fertility preservation, types and methods of fertility preservation, awareness of fertility preservation, perception of fertility preservation, factors influencing awareness and perception of fertility preservation, benefits and challenges of fertility preservation, etc. The chapter is sub-grouped into the following major headings:
2.1 Conceptual Framework
2.2 Theoretical Framework
2.3 Empirical Review
2.4 Summary of Literature Review

CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY (Preview)
Presented below is a snapshot of key areas of the study methodology, the full and detail chapter three methodology is contained in the instant download document.

Research Design: The study adopted a descriptive research design.
Population of the Study: The population of the study comprised women of childbearing residing in Abuja Metropolis, Federal Capital Territory.
Sample Size Determination: The study adopted the Taro Yamane formula to determine a sample size of 150 participants.
Sampling Technique: The study employed a multi-stage sampling technique involving stratified and convenience sampling to select the individual respondents.
Research Instrument: The study utilized a structured questionnaire as the instrument for data collection.
Methods of Data Analysis: The collected data were analyzed using frequencies and percentages to summarize and present the demographic characteristics of the respondents and their responses. Inferential statistics, such as Logistic Regression, were used to test the hypotheses.
Full outline for chapter three;
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Research Setting
3.3 Target Population
3.4 Sample Size
3.5 Sampling Technique
3.6 Instruments For Data Collection
3.7 Validity and Reliability of Instrument
3.8 Pilot Study
3.9 Method of Data Collection
3.10 Method Of Data Analysis
3.11 Ethical considerations

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
MAJOR FINDINGS (Preview)
The analysis results were presented in tables and charts. Based on the results obtained from the analysis, the following major findings were made:

i. The study found that women of childbearing age (15–35 years) in Abuja Metropolis have a relatively high level of awareness of fertility preservation, as evidenced by the majority of respondents agreeing that fertility preservation involves methods used to protect a woman’s ability to have children in the future, with 60.6% agreement. Furthermore, 54.2% of the respondents were aware that egg freezing is one of the methods of fertility preservation, while 64.8% acknowledged that age can affect fertility and the need for fertility preservation.

ii. The study found that women of childbearing age (15–35 years) in Abuja Metropolis have a positive perception of fertility preservation, as evidenced by 64.1% of respondents agreeing that fertility preservation is an important reproductive health option for women of childbearing age. Also, 63.4% agreed that fertility preservation can help women make informed reproductive choices, while 65.5% supported the encouragement of fertility preservation awareness among women in Abuja Metropolis.

iii. The study found that social media platforms, hospitals and clinics, and educational campaigns and seminars are the major sources of information on fertility preservation among women of childbearing age in Abuja Metropolis. This was evidenced by agreement levels of 61.3%, 62.0%, and 64.1%, respectively. The corresponding hypothesis test revealed that social media platforms (B = 0.862, p = 0.003), healthcare professionals (B = 0.735, p = 0.008), hospitals and clinics (B = 0.914, p = 0.004), educational campaigns and seminars (B = 1.028, p = 0.002), and traditional media (B = 0.619, p = 0.031) were statistically significant sources of information (p < 0.05), while family and friends (B = 0.284, p = 0.254) were not statistically significant.

iv. The study found that educational level, cost of fertility preservation services, cultural beliefs, access to healthcare facilities, lack of awareness, and exposure to media and public health campaigns are significant factors influencing awareness and perception of fertility preservation among women of childbearing age in Abuja Metropolis. The corresponding hypothesis test revealed that educational level (B = 0.943, p = 0.002), cost of fertility preservation services (B = 0.718, p = 0.011), cultural beliefs (B = 0.681, p = 0.021), access to healthcare facilities (B = 1.084, p = 0.001), lack of awareness (B = 0.827, p = 0.006), and exposure to media and public health campaigns (B = 1.016, p = 0.002) all had statistically significant effects (p < 0.05).

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
This chapter covers the following outline:
5.1 Discussion of Findings  
5.2 Implication of the Findings
5.3 Limitation of the Study
5.4 Summary 
5.5 Conclusion
5.6 Recommendations
5.7 Suggestions for Further Studies
Reference
Appendix

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