{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,8]],"date-time":"2026-02-08T22:47:03Z","timestamp":1770590823334,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":20,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,14]],"date-time":"2025-08-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1755129600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"\n Objective<\/jats:title>\n This scoping review aims to systematically map the landscape of infertility screening in unmarried women.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Introduction<\/jats:title>\n Infertility screening in unmarried women represents a significant and often neglected area within reproductive health. This population faces unique challenges and barriers, including social stigma, cultural norms, and limited access to care, making a comprehensive understanding of current screening practices essential.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Inclusion criteria<\/jats:title>\n Study selection will be guided by the PCCT framework (Population, Concept, Context, and study type), considering diverse study designs (quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, reviews) and grey literature, focusing on infertility screening in unmarried women.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n This scoping review will follow the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and utilize a 14-step framework based on Arksey and O\u2019Malley\u2019s methodology, incorporating enhancements by Tricco and Peters. A comprehensive search strategy will be employed, using controlled vocabulary and free-text method. Databases of Web of Science (ISI), PubMed, Scopus and search engines like Google Scholar will be searched, and supplemented by forward and backward citation tracking. Inclusion\/exclusion criteria will be applied iteratively. Two independent reviewers will screen titles\/abstracts and full texts, resolving disagreements through consensus or a third reviewer. Data will be charted using a predefined template, and findings will be presented in tables and diagrams, accompanied by a narrative synthesis.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Discussion<\/jats:title>\n This scoping review will provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge regarding infertility screening in unmarried women, a significantly under-researched area. The findings will be critical for informing the development of culturally sensitive guidelines, targeted interventions, and future research to address the reproductive health needs of this underserved population.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0329899","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,14]],"date-time":"2025-08-14T17:26:01Z","timestamp":1755192361000},"page":"e0329899","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Infertility screening in unmarried women: A scoping review protocol"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1198-8881","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Sanam","family":"Borji-Navan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8795-973X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Nasser","family":"Mogharabian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,14]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0329899.ref001","article-title":"WHO fact sheet on infertility","volume":"6","author":"Organization WH","year":"2021","journal-title":"Glob Reprod Health"},{"key":"pone.0329899.ref002","first-page":"124","article-title":"Female and male infertility.","volume-title":"The EBCOG postgraduate textbook of obstetrics & gynaecology: gynaecology","author":"VJ Kay","year":"2021"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0329899.ref003","article-title":"Infertility as a burden-women as victim","volume":"7","author":"U Gulzar","year":"2021","journal-title":"Infertility"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0329899.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.5812\/ircmj.24231","article-title":"The stigma of reproductive health services utilization by unmarried women","volume":"18","author":"F Mohammadi","year":"2016","journal-title":"Iran Red Crescent Med J"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0329899.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2021.4788","article-title":"Diagnosis and management of infertility: a review","volume":"326","author":"SA Carson","year":"2021","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0329899.ref006","article-title":"A prospective study to evaluate the role of combined diagnostic laparoscopy and hysteroscopy in the management of female infertility","volume":"16","author":"P Sharma","year":"2024","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0329899.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"524","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajog.2021.06.100","article-title":"Women\u2019s preventive services initiative: fertility counseling overlooked","volume":"226","author":"JB Bakkensen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Am J Obstet Gynecol"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0329899.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"147","DOI":"10.15171\/ijhpm.2016.107","article-title":"Being single as a social barrier to access reproductive healthcare services by Iranian girls","volume":"6","author":"S Kohan","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int J Health Policy Manag"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0329899.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajog.2016.08.008","article-title":"Sexually transmitted diseases and infertility","volume":"216","author":"DG Tsevat","year":"2017","journal-title":"Am J Obstet Gynecol"},{"issue":"15","key":"pone.0329899.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8210","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18158210","article-title":"Stigma and endometriosis: a brief overview and recommendations to improve psychosocial well-being and diagnostic delay","volume":"18","author":"OT Sims","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0329899.ref011","article-title":"EPH259 The prevalence of undiagnosed and untreated stigmatized conditions: evidence from the national health and wellness survey","volume":"26","author":"N Way","year":"2023","journal-title":"Value Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0329899.ref012","article-title":"Procreative rights denied? Access to assisted reproduction technologies by single women in China","volume":"8","author":"L Zhu","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Law Biosci"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0329899.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"620","DOI":"10.1093\/medlaw\/fwv031","article-title":"Access of single women to fertility treatment: a case of incidental discrimination?","volume":"23","author":"A Krajewska","year":"2015","journal-title":"Med Law Rev"},{"key":"pone.0329899.ref014","article-title":"Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015: elaboration and explanation","volume":"350","author":"L Shamseer","year":"2015","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0329899.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"467","DOI":"10.7326\/M18-0850","article-title":"PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation","volume":"169","author":"AC Tricco","year":"2018","journal-title":"Ann Intern Med"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0329899.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1080\/1364557032000119616","article-title":"Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework","volume":"8","author":"H Arksey","year":"2005","journal-title":"Int J Soc Res Methodol"},{"key":"pone.0329899.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1186\/s12874-016-0116-4","article-title":"A scoping review on the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews","volume":"16","author":"AC Tricco","year":"2016","journal-title":"BMC Med Res Methodol"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0329899.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1097\/XEB.0000000000000050","article-title":"Guidance for conducting systematic scoping reviews","volume":"13","author":"MDJ Peters","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int J Evid Based Healthc"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0329899.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"39","DOI":"10.1186\/s13643-020-01542-z","article-title":"PRISMA-S: an extension to the PRISMA statement for reporting literature searches in systematic reviews","volume":"10","author":"ML Rethlefsen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Syst Rev"},{"key":"pone.0329899.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4135\/9781529667417","volume-title":"An application of modern literature review methodology: finding needles in ever-growing haystacks","author":"P Steel","year":"2023"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0329899","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,14]],"date-time":"2025-08-14T17:26:06Z","timestamp":1755192366000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0329899"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Godwin Banafo","family":"Akrong,","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"editor","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,14]]},"references-count":20,"journal-issue":{"issue":"8","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,14]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0329899","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,14]]}}}