Men’s fertility-related knowledge and attitudes, and childbearing desires, expectations and outcomes: Findings from the Understanding Fertility Management in Contemporary Australia Survey

Parenthood is a life goal for most people. Existing research about childbearing focuses mostly on women. Little is known about men’s childbearing aspirations and the factors that influence them. The aim of this study was to investigate fertility-related knowledge and attitudes, and childbearing desires, expectations and outcomes among Australian men of reproductive age. A sample of 18–50-year-old men (N =1,104), randomly selected from the 2013 Australian Electoral Roll, completed a self administered,anonymous questionnaire. Data were weighted to reduce non-response bias. Factors associated with fertility and childbearing were identified in multivariable analyses. Most respondents (90.0%) wanted at least two children and thought it was acceptable for men older than 50 years to be fathers (61.6%); they underestimated the effect of age on fertility and overestimated the ability of assisted reproductive technology to overcome age-related fertility decline. Targeted interventions to increase men’s knowledge of the limitations of fertility are recommended.