INTRODUCTION
Infertility is a common medical condition that affects women worldwide. Race is a determinant of infertility diagnoses, and racial disparities account for a significant proportion of poor health outcomes overall(1). Studies have demonstrated racial disparities in access to infertility care and live birth rates following assisted reproductive technologies (2),(3). While socioeconomic status accounts for some of these findings, studies adjusting for these risk factors continue to show a significant impact of race on infertility(4), (5), (6),(7).
While prior research supports variations in the prevalence of different causes of infertility between racial groups, racial groups in the United States are heterogeneous, and differences between ethnic groups within a race may of importance in predicting outcomes. Some studies suggest that ethnicity may be a greater risk factor for acquiring certain medical conditions then race alone. Malouf et al. showed significant differences in live birth rates after in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment among women of similar races but different nationalities in the United Kingdom: they found that Black African women undergoing IVF had lower odds of live birth following IVF compared to Black Caribbean women(8).
While several studies have examined the impact of race on infertility diagnosis and treatment outcomes, few have investigated the role of ethnicity or nationality on the etiology of infertility. Boston Medical Center, a 500-bed urban academic safety-net hospital with a large, international Black patient population, is uniquely positioned to evaluate differences in infertility diagnoses by ethnicity. This study aims to identify the role of ethnicity in the causes of infertility among Black American, Haitian, and African women seeking infertility care at a tertiary care center.