Motherhood Plan: Has it Changed in Face of the COVID-19 Pandemics?

Background: The goal for the present study was to investigate whether women seeking fertility care have different perception concerning the impact of Covid-19 on the motherhood plan than a target population. Material and Methods: For this prospective study, a survey through onlineplatforms was conducted. Participants were randomized by age, in a 1:4 ratio, into: ART-GROUP (n=368), including patients seeking for Assisted Reproduction Treatment (ART), but still didn’t start their cycles or INTERESTED-GROUP (n=92), including participants interested in the subject, who accessed the website of a university-affiliated IVF-center. Information on their perceptions in face of the COVID-19 pandemics and the motherhood plan was collected. Results: When asked about the possibility of becoming pregnant, after the beginning of the pandemic, 47.8% of the ART-GROUP stated to believe the pandemic could affect their plans, while only 28.2% of the INTERESTEDGROUP stated the same. The plan to become pregnant was postponed by 41.3% of the ART-GROUP and by 60.8% of the INTERESTED-GROUP. The main reasons that led people to this decision were fear of getting sick, economic reasons and a pessimist view of the future. Conclusion: In conclusion, besides the fear of becoming sick, the economic burdens are the main reason for the delay in the motherhood plain.