Abstract

Previous evidence has found that there is a lack of understanding of miscarriage among Irish adults aged 18-65 years in the Republic of Ireland. This cross-sectional study provides insight into university students’ awareness of prevalence and risk factors of miscarriage at a University between April and May of 2016. Specifically, it shows that there is a lack of knowledge of rates, causes, risk factors, and features of miscarriage among university students. Only 20% of students correctly identified the prevalence of miscarriage in Ireland, and almost 30% of this sample believed that the prevalence of miscarriage was less common than 10%. Approximately 75% of the students knew that chromosomal abnormalities were a cause of miscarriage, yet only 43% recognised them as the leading cause. Less than 50% of the students were aware that being overweight is a risk factor for miscarriage. On the other hand, more than 80% of the students considered that stress was an established risk factor for miscarriage. University settings represent an ideal opportunity for health promotion strategies to increase awareness of potential adverse outcomes in pregnancy. These findings highlight an opportunity for public health interventions to improve reproductive health education.