TY - JOUR
T1 - The development and phase 1 evaluation of a Decision Aid for elective egg freezing
AU - the Eggsurance Collaborative Group
AU - Sandhu, Sherine
AU - Hickey, Martha
AU - Lew, Raelia
AU - Hammarberg, Karin
AU - Braat, Sabine
AU - Agresta, Franca
AU - Parle, Anna
AU - Allingham, Catherine
AU - Ledger, William
AU - Fisher, Jane
AU - Johnson, Louise
AU - Michelmore, Janet
AU - Summers, Fiona
AU - Hart, Roger
AU - Norman, Robert J.
AU - Lieberman, Devora
AU - Anderson, Richard A.
AU - Peate, Michelle
N1 - Funding Information:
Throughout the paper we refer to those who access and use elective egg freezing as women. However, we acknowledge that egg freezing may also be relevant to individuals who do not identify as women. We thank our participants, the Royal Women’s Hospital, and Melbourne IVF for their contribution to the Decision Aid development and this study. Consortium Name The Eggsurance Collaborative Group Dr Michelle Peate1, Prof Martha Hickey1, Ms Sherine Sandhu1, Ms Sabine Braat5, 6, Ms Anna Parle1, Dr Karin Hammarberg3, 4, Prof William Ledger8, 9, Prof Jane Fisher10, Ms Franca Agresta7, Dr Raelia Lew1, 2, Ms Louise Johnson4, Ms Janet Michelmore11, Ms Fiona Summers1, Prof Roger Hart12, 13, Prof Robert J Norman14, Dr Devora Lieberman15, Prof Richard A Anderson16, and Dr Catherine Allingham1.8School of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.9Department of Reproductive Medicine, Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney, Australia.10Global and Women’s Health Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.11Jean Hailes for Women’s Health, Melbourne, Australia 12Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Western Australia, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Perth, Australia.13Fertility Specialists of Western Australia and City Fertility, Bethesda Hospital, Claremont, Australia.14Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.15City Fertility, Sydney, Australia.16MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Funding Information:
Financial support for the development of the Decision Aid was provided entirely by a grant from the Royal Women’s Hospital Foundation and McBain Family Trust. The Decision Aid’s funding source had no role in the development of this study’s design, execution, or analysis of findings. M Hickey is supported by an NHMRC Leadership Level 2 Investigator Grant and M Peate was supported by a National Breast Cancer Foundation Early Career Fellowship (ECF-15–005).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).
PY - 2023/12/1
Y1 - 2023/12/1
N2 - Background: Elective egg freezing decisions are complex. We developed a Decision Aid for elective egg freezing and conducted a phase 1 study to evaluate its acceptability and utility for decision-making. Methods: The online Decision Aid was developed according to International Patient Decision Aid Standards and evaluated using a pre/post survey design. Twenty-six Australian women aged 18–45 years, interested in receiving elective egg freezing information, proficient in English, and with access to the internet were recruited using social media and university newsletters. Main outcomes were: acceptability of the Decision Aid; feedback on the Decision Aid design and content; concern raised by the Decision Aid, and; utility of the Decision Aid as measured by scores on the Decisional Conflict Scale and on a study-specific scale assessing knowledge about egg freezing and age-related infertility. Results: Most participants found the Decision Aid acceptable (23/25), balanced (21/26), useful for explaining their options (23/26), and for reaching a decision (18/26). Almost all reported satisfaction with the Decision Aid (25/26) and the level of guidance it provided (25/26). No participant reported serious concerns about the Decision Aid, and most would recommend it to other women considering elective egg freezing (22/26). Median Decisional Conflict Scale score decreased from 65/100 (Interquartile range: 45–80) pre-Decision Aid to 7.5/100 (Interquartile range: 0–37.5) post-Decision Aid review (p < 0.001). Median knowledge score increased from 8.5/14 (Interquartile range: 7–11) pre-Decision Aid to 11/14 (Interquartile range: 10–12) post-Decision Aid review (p = 0.01). Conclusion: This elective egg freezing Decision Aid appears acceptable and useful for decision-making. It improved knowledge, reduced decisional conflict and did not raise serious concerns. The Decision Aid will be further evaluated using a prospective randomised control trial. Study registration: ACTRN12618001685202 (retrospectively registered: 12 October 2018).
AB - Background: Elective egg freezing decisions are complex. We developed a Decision Aid for elective egg freezing and conducted a phase 1 study to evaluate its acceptability and utility for decision-making. Methods: The online Decision Aid was developed according to International Patient Decision Aid Standards and evaluated using a pre/post survey design. Twenty-six Australian women aged 18–45 years, interested in receiving elective egg freezing information, proficient in English, and with access to the internet were recruited using social media and university newsletters. Main outcomes were: acceptability of the Decision Aid; feedback on the Decision Aid design and content; concern raised by the Decision Aid, and; utility of the Decision Aid as measured by scores on the Decisional Conflict Scale and on a study-specific scale assessing knowledge about egg freezing and age-related infertility. Results: Most participants found the Decision Aid acceptable (23/25), balanced (21/26), useful for explaining their options (23/26), and for reaching a decision (18/26). Almost all reported satisfaction with the Decision Aid (25/26) and the level of guidance it provided (25/26). No participant reported serious concerns about the Decision Aid, and most would recommend it to other women considering elective egg freezing (22/26). Median Decisional Conflict Scale score decreased from 65/100 (Interquartile range: 45–80) pre-Decision Aid to 7.5/100 (Interquartile range: 0–37.5) post-Decision Aid review (p < 0.001). Median knowledge score increased from 8.5/14 (Interquartile range: 7–11) pre-Decision Aid to 11/14 (Interquartile range: 10–12) post-Decision Aid review (p = 0.01). Conclusion: This elective egg freezing Decision Aid appears acceptable and useful for decision-making. It improved knowledge, reduced decisional conflict and did not raise serious concerns. The Decision Aid will be further evaluated using a prospective randomised control trial. Study registration: ACTRN12618001685202 (retrospectively registered: 12 October 2018).
KW - Decision Aid
KW - Decision support
KW - Elective egg freezing
KW - Fertility preservation
KW - Information
KW - Phase 1
KW - Planned oocyte cryopreservation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85158964629&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12911-023-02178-4
DO - 10.1186/s12911-023-02178-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 37147687
AN - SCOPUS:85158964629
SN - 1472-6947
VL - 23
JO - BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
JF - BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
IS - 1
M1 - 83
ER -
