How to ask couples about problems with conception? Measurement of infertility and subfertility in large scale surveys with use of short self-administered questionnaire

Krzysztof Tymicki, Warsaw School of Economics

Measuring decrease of fecundity with age also called reproductive ageing seems to be of crucial importance with respect to changes in patterns of reproduction in developed countries. Apparent fecundability reaches it’s peak at age 22 an decreases quickly afterwards: fecundity at age 32 equals fecundability at age 15. Taking into account postponement of reproduction modern patterns of reproduction might results in increased incidence subfecundity. Measuring decrease of fecundity with age poses a major problem in large scale surveys. In order to estimate accurately problems with conception we have to ask series of question concerning sensitive issues such as menstrual cycles, deliveries and sexual activity. The paper examines application of short self-administered questionnaire which maximizes the response rate. The questionnaire was used during the first wave of the GGS survey in Poland. Both in the pilot study and main questionnaire we have reached relatively high response rate (around 75%).