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.