Association of infertility and wish to conceive with healthcare utilisation and lifestyle
Synopsis
Infertility, defined as the failure to achieve a
clinical pregnancy after 12 months of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse, affects
approximately one in six couples in Australia. There is emerging evidence about
the role of diet and exercise in the management of infertility and pre-conceptional
care. People intending to conceive may consult health professionals to support
them with evidence-based lifestyle strategies to assist fertility. However, the
patterns of healthcare utilisation in people with infertility or pregnancy
intention are not well understood. Therefore, the aim of this study is to
examine associations of pregnancy intention and infertility with lifestyle and
healthcare utilisation.