Fertility health is important as it refers to a person’s ability to reproduce. But according to the results of a new survey, many American adults are misinformed about their reproductive health.

CCRM Fertility recently released the results of its State of Fertility survey. Over the course of the study, they interviewed 1,000 Coloradan adults between the ages of 25 to 44 to gauge their knowledge about fertility health, and the results surprised researchers. In general, the majority of participants seemed misinformed or unaware of the basic tenets of reproductive health.

For instance, 91% of participants believe that stress negatively affects fertility, despite a lack of concrete research explaining a potential link between reproduction and stress. Similarly, 57% admitted to believing that birth control pills can cause infertility, another mistaken assumption.

In addition, other findings of the survey include:

• 1 in 4 people have experience with infertility
• 33% of respondents (or their partner) experienced a miscarriage
• 55% were open to using fertility treatments in the future if necessary
• 63% of respondents know someone who has experience infertility
• 67% believe society should talk more openly about fertility health
• 70% of respondents aren’t concerned about their own reproductive health

The researchers concluded that the survey’s results highlight the need for better education and resources on reproductive health, as a majority of adults appear to be misinformed about their fertility.

Dr. Lauren Ehrhart, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist who works for CCRM Fertility in Colorado, says that society needs to look at what can be done to better educate and support people about their fertility journey and choices. Otherwise, myths and misinformation will continue to circulate and jeopardize people’s reproductive health.

Tracking one’s fertility health may become easier and more accessible in the near future. For instance, earlier this month we reported that Apple is considering adding features to future generations of its Apple Watches to help people track their fertility.

Rumors suggest that the technology giant is considering adding a blood pressure measure and thermometer to the Apple Watch Series 8, which could release as early as next year. Other health-related features they’re considering include features to detect sleep apnea, low blood oxygen levels, diabetes, and the presence of a fever.

Recent reports have suggested that the number of people turning to reproductive services and technology is increasing. For instance, in July we reported that fertility clinics have seen a rise in the number of women wanting to freeze their eggs to keep options open for the future. Some clinics in the United States have seen this rise by 50%, and experts predict this number will only grow in the near future.