Kiosk highlights importance of fertility health
It aims to encourage young adults to start planning for a family
Singapore's dismal total fertility rate has been a point of discussion for years.
I Love Children (ILC), a voluntary welfare organisation, has deployed an interactive kiosk to encourage young people to make starting a family a priority.
The Reward Your Curiosity kiosk is part of ILC's annual Know Your Fertility Wellness Campaign, which started in 2016.
The travelling kiosk has been making rounds across higher-education institutions, and the free information-dispensing machine will be at the National University of Singapore (NUS) until April 30.
Targeted at young adults between 17 and 39 years old, the kiosk shares parenthood-related information, such as financial planning, managing relationships, work-life balance, marriage and parenthood.
It tests participants' knowledge through a curated list of questions. Regardless of their score, participants can win prizes such as Starbucks gift cards, T-shirts and tote bags.
ROADSHOW
The Know Your Fertility Wellness Campaign also includes a fertility campaign roadshow, fertility health checks and a Truck-on-the-Go in its efforts to reach out to young adults and couples island wide.
ILC president Joni Ong told The New Paper: "Young people feel that having children can wait as they are still young.
"This kiosk seeks to change that perspective. We want to highlight the relevant support and measures available to help young couples defray the cost of starting a family. We hope to instil the idea that it is possible to climb the corporate ladder while planning or starting a family."
Mrs Ong added that knowing one's fertility health is important for couples intending to conceive. Having children later in life decreases the chances of a natural conception and may also negatively affect the baby.
Medical technologies are also not a guaranteed solution.
Dr Loh Seong Feei, the medical director at Thomson Fertility Centre, said: "We noticed that many patients only choose to have their fertility health checked after trying to conceive unsuccessfully. However, we would highly encourage young couples to start early when planning for a family, to remedy and prepare the body for conception."
An NUS student, Ms Tang Hui Qi, 23, said: "Because of the quiz, I realised that if I am thinking about marriage with my partner, it is important to start saving now. After marriage, I think couples would like to be financially and emotionally stable before trying for a child.
"I have thought about my fertility health before. I guess with the general trend of young adults marrying later, I am likewise concerned as to whether or not I would be able to start a family at an older age."
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