What Women Still Don’t Know About Getting Pregnant

As surprising as it seems, about half of women of reproductive age have not talked to their health care provider about their reproductive health, according to a new study.

As a result, the researchers, from the Yale School of Medicine, found that women between ages 18 and 40 weren’t aware of some the important factors that influence fertility and their ability to get pregnant, as well as about basic prenatal practices once they were expecting.

(MORE: The Frontiers of Fertility)

Among the most notable findings, which were published in the journal, Fertility & Sterility :

The significant gaps in the women’s knowledge about their fertility may also explain why 40% reported that they had concerns and questions about their ability to get pregnant. The researchers believe that as women put off starting families — the latest CDC report showed women between 25 to 29 years old have the highest pregnancy rates, compared to women aged 20 to 24 in earlier years — doctors, particularly reproductive health specialists, should have more opportunity for improving women’s education about fertility and pregnancy so they know what to expect when they are finally ready to have a child.