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NCT Number: NCT07524764

Female Reproductive Health in Canadian Armed Forces

This is a mixed-method study aimed at gathering new evidence on reproductive health among female service members in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Reproductive health includes four primary domains: contraception; undesired reproductive outcomes (including unintended pregnancy, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and infertility); assisted reproductive care; and pelvic floor dysfunctions. Additional factors that may influence reproductive outcomes will also be explored, including gynecological health (including but not limited to menstrual health, menopause, breast injury, sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections) as well as physical and psychological health (including but not limited to repetitive strain injuries, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder). Evidence gathered on reproductive health issues will include, but not limited to, the lived experiences (occurrence), associated risk factors, access to care, including barriers and facilitators, service utilization, and career-related impacts among actively serving members and Veterans of the CAF. These will inform the development of recommendations and support services aimed at improving reproductive health care within the CAF. This project is divided into 3 convergent parts:

Part 1: An online pan-Canadian survey that will achieve a minimum total sample of 1067 participants.

Part 2: Semi-structured individual interviews (open-ended questions) will be conducted with female CAF members and Veterans who have experienced at least one reproductive health issues. A total of 30 participants are estimated to be required to achieve data saturation across the four primary domains.

Part 3: Semi-structured group discussion (open-ended questions) will be conducted with healthcare providers, who have experience with treating female reproductive health issues in CAF members, as well as stakeholders and policymakers involved in supporting female members of the CAF/Veterans. A total of 24 healthcare providers/stakeholders/policymakers will form 3 group discussion (8 participants/group).

For all 3 parts, efforts in recruitment will be made to ensure representation across CAF elements, minority groups, and native language (French and English).

Recruiting

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Key information

Conditions

Pregnancy Contraception Genital Diseases Infertility Military Personnel Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Urogenital Diseases Women's Health

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

(part 1):

  • Female (biological sex)
  • Aged at least 18 years old
  • Completed Basic Military Qualification (including Regular Forces, Reserve Forces (Class A, B, or C), Canadian Rangers, COATS instructors, and survivors of the LGBT Purge whose official records of service have been changed to reflect the nature of their discharge)

Inclusion criteria

(part 2):

  • Female (biological sex)
  • Aged at least 18 years old
  • Completed Basic Military Qualification (including Regular Forces, Reserve Forces (Class A, B, or C), Canadian Rangers, COATS instructors, and survivors of the LGBT Purge whose official records of service have been changed to reflect the nature of their discharge)
  • Have experienced a reproductive health issue while serving in the CAF

Inclusion criteria

(part 3):

  • Healthcare providers (CAF Health Services, public servant, civilian) who has treated female patients who are actively serving and/or Veterans of the CAF in the past 5 years.
  • Stakeholders who are involved in supporting reproductive health of female members of the CAF and/or Veterans.
  • Policymakers who are involved in supporting reproductive health of female members of the CAF and/or Veterans.

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. Occurrence of female reproductive health issues

    Time frame: Baseline

    Assessed using a self-administered, pan-Canadian online questionnaire with multiple-choice response options

  2. Lived experiences of female reproductive health issues

    Time frame: Baseline

    Assessed using semi-structured individual interviews with open-ended questions

  3. Risk factors of reproductive health issues

    Time frame: Baseline

    Assessed using a self-administered, pan-Canadian online questionnaire with multiple-choice response options and semi-structured individual interviews with open-ended questions

  4. Barriers to access to care for reproductive health issues

    Time frame: Baseline

    Assessed using a self-administered, pan-Canadian online questionnaire with multiple-choice response options and semi-structured individual interviews with open-ended questions and group discussion (open-ended questions) with healthcare providers, stakeholders and policymakers

  5. Facilitators to access to care for reproductive health issues

    Time frame: Baseline

    Assessed using a self-administered, pan-Canadian online questionnaire with multiple-choice response options and semi-structured individual interviews with open-ended questions and group discussion (open-ended questions) with healthcare providers, stakeholders and policymakers

  6. Service utilization for reproductive health issues

    Time frame: Baseline

    Assessed using a self-administered, pan-Canadian online questionnaire with multiple-choice response options and semi-structured individual interviews with open-ended questions and group discussion (open-ended questions) with healthcare providers, stakeholders and policymakers

  7. Career-related impact of reproductive health issues of female serving in the CAF

    Time frame: Baseline

    Assessed using a self-administered, pan-Canadian online questionnaire with multiple-choice response options and semi-structured individual interviews with open-ended questions

  8. Recommendations and support services for improving female reproductive care within the CAF

    Time frame: Baseline

    Assessed using a self-administered, pan-Canadian online questionnaire with multiple-choice response options and semi-structured individual interviews with open-ended questions and group discussion (open-ended questions) with healthcare providers, stakeholders and policymakers

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Camille Simard, MSc

CONTACT

[email protected]

1-819-821-8000 ext. 18439

Chris M Edwards, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

1-888-463-1835 ext. 18439

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Université de Sherbrooke

Other

Collaborators

  • Canadian Armed Forces
  • Veterans Affairs Canada

Registry information

Official study title

Female Reproductive Health in Canadian Armed Forces: Experience, Access to Care, and Support

Acronym: BEARH2025

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Apr 13, 2026
Registry last updated
May 22, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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