Effectiveness of fertility education interventions in adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31211/rpics.2026.12.1.412Keywords:
Adolescence, Fertility, Health literacy, Randomized controlled trials, Reproductive health, Systematic reviewAbstract
Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis protocol was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of fertility education interventions for adolescents aged 12 to 19. The primary aim is to assess their impact on fertility-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Method: This review will include randomized controlled trials examining educational programs focused on fertility and reproductive health in adolescents. Eligible studies must report outcomes related to knowledge, attitudes, or behavioral intentions/actions and include a clearly identifiable fertility-focused component. A systematic search will be conducted in CENTRAL, APA PsycInfo, MEDLINE, and Web of Science Core Collection (SCIE and SSCI). Studies published between January 2010 and November 2024 will be included, reflecting the period during which school-based fertility education interventions became more widely implemented. The search will be rerun before publication. Studies published in English, Portuguese, and Spanish will be eligible. Two independent reviewers will screen studies, extract data, and assess methodological quality using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool. Data will be synthesized through meta-analysis, where appropriate, using random-effects models; standardized mean differences will be used for continuous outcomes and risk/odds ratios for dichotomous outcomes. Between-study heterogeneity will be quantified (I² and τ²), and prespecified subgroup and sensitivity analyses will explore this heterogeneity. Conclusions: The systematic review will provide evidence on the effectiveness of fertility education for adolescents. Findings are expected to support the development of educational and public health strategies aimed at improving reproductive health literacy and informed decision-making among young people. Ethics and dissemination: Ethics approval is not required because this review will synthesize published, aggregate data only; findings will be disseminated via a peer-reviewed publication. Registration: PROSPERO CRD42024611088.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Mariana Martins, Filipa Bento Nogueira, Filipa Nunes, Raquel Martins
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