Main Findings
Studies investigating the association between ethnicity and infertility
are limited. In this study, we found differences in prevalence of
infertility etiologies between certain Black ethnic groups. The
distribution of infertility diagnoses among Black Haitian and Black
African women was more even compared to White and Black American women.
Black Haitian and Black African women had a similar distribution of
infertility etiologies, while the distribution of infertility diagnoses
among Black and White American women more closely mirrored each other.
Furthermore, we were able to observe differences between White women and
different Black ethnic groups that were not apparent when all Black
women were grouped together. Generally, Black American women had
baseline characteristics more similar to White American women than to
Black African and Black Haitian women. Black American women also had a
prevalence of infertility diagnoses more similar to White American women
than to their Black ethnic counterparts. With regard to specific
infertility diagnoses, Black African women were less likely to have
PCOS/anovulation compared to Black American women after adjusting for
BMI and age. Furthermore, ethnic group differences were also seen in the
prevalence of tubal factor infertility. Black American and Black Haitian
women had higher rates of tubal factor infertility compared to Black
African women. The rates of tubal factor infertility were not
significantly different between White American women and Black African
women.