Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2010 Feb;93(2):382-90.
doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.10.061. Epub 2008 Dec 10.

Racial and ethnic disparities in assisted reproductive technology outcomes in the United States

Affiliations

Racial and ethnic disparities in assisted reproductive technology outcomes in the United States

Victor Y Fujimoto et al. Fertil Steril. 2010 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate ethnic differences in assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes in the United States.

Design: Historical cohort study.

Setting: Clinic-based data.

Patient(s): A total of 139,027 ART cycles from the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinic Outcome Reporting System online database for 2004-2006, limited to white, Asian, black, and Hispanic women.

Intervention(s): None.

Main outcome measure(s): Logistic regression was used to model the odds of pregnancy and live birth; among singletons and twins, the odds of preterm birth and fetal growth restriction. Results are presented as adjusted odds ratios, with white women as the reference group.

Result(s): The odds of pregnancy were reduced for Asians (0.86), and the odds of live birth were reduced for all groups: Asian (0.90), black (0.62), and Hispanic (0.87) women. Among singletons, moderate and severe growth restriction were increased for all infants in all three minority groups (Asians [1.78, 2.05]; blacks [1.81, 2.17]; Hispanics [1.36, 1.64]), and preterm birth was increased among black (1.79) and Hispanic women (1.22). Among twins, the odds for moderate growth restriction were increased for infants of Asian (1.30) and black women (1.97), and severe growth restriction was increased among black women (3.21). The odds of preterm birth were increased for blacks (1.64) and decreased for Asians (0.70).

Conclusion(s): There are significant disparities in ART outcomes according to ethnicity.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Lalwani S, Timmreck L, Friedman R, Penzias A, Alper M, Reindollar RH. Variations in individual physician success rates within an in vitro fertilization program might be due to patient demographics. Fertil Steril. 2004;81:944–6. - PubMed
    1. Feinberg EC, Larsen FW, Catherino WH, Zhang J, Armstrong AY. Comparison of assisted reproductive technology utilization and outcomes between Caucasian and African American patients in an equal-access-to-care setting. Fertil Steril. 2006;85:888–94. - PubMed
    1. Palep-Singh M, Picton HM, Vrotsou K, Maruthini D, Balen AH. South Asian women with polycystic ovary syndrome exhibit greater sensitivity to gonadotropin stimulation with reduced fertilization and ongoing pregnancy rates than their Caucasian counterparts. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2007;134:202–7. - PubMed
    1. Purcell K, Schembri M, Frazier LM, Rall MJ, Shen S, Croughan M, et al. Asian ethnicity is associated with reduced pregnancy outcomes after assisted reproductive technology. Fertil Steril. 2007;87:297–302. - PubMed
    1. Seifer DB, Frazier LM, Grainger DA. Disparity in assisted reproductive technologies outcomes in black women compared with white women. Fertil Steril. 2008;90:1701–10. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms