Preconception health attitudes, beliefs and intentions among university-attending males

Currently, approximately 50% of pregnancies nation-wide are unplanned, and although teen pregnancy rates are dropping, pregnancy rates among those in the traditional college-attending years remain relatively static. Among that age group, approximately half of those pregnancies are unintended, and the proportion may be even higher among those that fit the “traditional” college student profile. This population has been notoriously difficult to reach with traditional preconception health interventions, as they tend to have globally lower risk perception and be highly resistant to messages about pregnancy, in particular. Although medical research continues to reveal the impact that male health has on pregnancy outcomes, little attention has been focused on college-aged males. Research conducted during January 2010 examined 1039 students attending a regional university in the Midwest and assessed their attitudes, beliefs and perceived risk concerning preconception health issues. Of those, 29% were male. Examination of male attitudes and beliefs indicates that they may be more concerned about preconception health issues than commonly believed. Although college-aged males were as loathe to contemplate the possibility of unplanned pregnancy as their female counterparts, there may be opportunities to motivate change in their preconception health behaviors by focusing on the impact those same behaviors have on something they DO care about: their future fertility. Because fertility is a central component of the American male's masculine identity, college-aged males may be more receptive to preconception health campaigns that focus directly on male fertility, and thus, indirectly on preconception health.