TY - JOUR
T1 - Partner perspectives on women's sexual and reproductive healthcare in cystic fibrosis
AU - Ehrenberg, Sarah
AU - Stransky, Olivia M.
AU - Wright, Catherine E.
AU - Jain, Raksha
AU - Kazmerski, Traci M.
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank the patients and staff at the following participating institutions: the University of Pittsburgh, Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham & Women's Hospital, University of Texas Southwestern, Baylor College of Medicine, Northwestern University, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, University of Minnesota, National Jewish Health, University of Washington, and University of Alabama-Birmingham.
Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation [grant numbers: KAZMER18A0 (PI: Traci Kazmerski) and EHRENB21H0 (PI: Sarah Ehrenberg)].
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 European Cystic Fibrosis Society
PY - 2023/3
Y1 - 2023/3
N2 - Background: Women with cystic fibrosis (CF) face many sexual and reproductive health (SRH) concerns. Studies suggest that educating and involving partners in SRH care can improve outcomes. This study investigated partners’ perceptions of and preferences for women's SRH care in CF. Methods: We surveyed partners of women with CF from ten United States (U.S.) CF centers regarding their attitudes and preferences related to CF SRH care. Items assessed experiences with SRH care, sexual relationships, family planning, pregnancy, fertility, and parenthood. We used descriptive statistics to assess results related to the timing, content, setting and delivery of CF SRH care. Results: A total of 94 partners completed the survey (94% male; average age 36±1 years; 70% married; 36% parents). Among those who/whose partners experienced a pregnancy, 48% received preconception counseling and 29% fertility testing/treatment. One-third of all respondents (32%) worried their children would have CF and 86% would undergo CF genetic testing if their CF partner became pregnant. One-third (34%) indicated that they did not have any SRH conversations with their partner's CF team, while 70% would like to have such discussions. The topics that respondents would most like to discuss were pregnancy (50%), fertility (43%), sexual functioning (36%), sexual activity (31%) and parenthood (29%). Conclusions: Partners report gaps in SRH care and counseling despite the majority wanting to discuss SRH concerns with their partner's CF team. CF partners serve as key supports for women with CF and results can be used to design patient-centered interventions to optimize CF SRH care.
AB - Background: Women with cystic fibrosis (CF) face many sexual and reproductive health (SRH) concerns. Studies suggest that educating and involving partners in SRH care can improve outcomes. This study investigated partners’ perceptions of and preferences for women's SRH care in CF. Methods: We surveyed partners of women with CF from ten United States (U.S.) CF centers regarding their attitudes and preferences related to CF SRH care. Items assessed experiences with SRH care, sexual relationships, family planning, pregnancy, fertility, and parenthood. We used descriptive statistics to assess results related to the timing, content, setting and delivery of CF SRH care. Results: A total of 94 partners completed the survey (94% male; average age 36±1 years; 70% married; 36% parents). Among those who/whose partners experienced a pregnancy, 48% received preconception counseling and 29% fertility testing/treatment. One-third of all respondents (32%) worried their children would have CF and 86% would undergo CF genetic testing if their CF partner became pregnant. One-third (34%) indicated that they did not have any SRH conversations with their partner's CF team, while 70% would like to have such discussions. The topics that respondents would most like to discuss were pregnancy (50%), fertility (43%), sexual functioning (36%), sexual activity (31%) and parenthood (29%). Conclusions: Partners report gaps in SRH care and counseling despite the majority wanting to discuss SRH concerns with their partner's CF team. CF partners serve as key supports for women with CF and results can be used to design patient-centered interventions to optimize CF SRH care.
KW - Cystic fibrosis
KW - Partner perspectives
KW - Sexual and reproductive healthcare
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85136764193&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85136764193&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jcf.2022.08.003
DO - 10.1016/j.jcf.2022.08.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 35970694
AN - SCOPUS:85136764193
SN - 1569-1993
VL - 22
SP - 217
EP - 222
JO - Journal of Cystic Fibrosis
JF - Journal of Cystic Fibrosis
IS - 2
ER -