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Associations between Disability and Infertility among U.S. Reproductive-Aged Women
1Department of Public Health, School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts, Health Science Research Institute, University of California, Merced, CA 95343, USA.
Summary
Women with disabilities have higher odds of infertility and may be less likely to seek infertility care. This highlights the need for equitable reproductive health policies and practices for women with disabilities.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Disability Studies
- Public Health
Background:
- Disability is a significant factor influencing health outcomes.
- Understanding the intersection of disability and reproductive health is crucial for equitable care.
- Limited research exists on infertility prevalence and care-seeking behaviors among women with disabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between self-reported disabilities and infertility.
- To determine if disabilities decrease the likelihood of seeking infertility-related care.
- To identify disparities in reproductive health services for women with disabilities.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of 3789 non-pregnant women aged 18-49 years (NHANES, 2013-2018).
- Self-reported data on disabilities and infertility collected through trained interviewer-administered personal interviews.
- Logistic regression models used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals, adjusting for confounders and complex survey design.
Main Results:
- Women with disabilities (WWD) exhibited higher odds of infertility compared to women without disabilities (aOR: 1.78).
- Sensory (aOR: 2.32) and cognitive disabilities (aOR: 1.77) were significantly associated with increased odds of infertility.
- Among women with infertility, WWD showed a trend towards reduced likelihood of seeking infertility-related care (aOR: 0.68), though not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
- Women with disabilities face a higher prevalence of infertility.
- WWD may encounter barriers to accessing essential infertility-related healthcare services.
- There is a critical need for further research and the implementation of equitable policies to address the reproductive health needs of women with disabilities.
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