Hispanic Ethnicity and Fertility Outcomes

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Health Disparities
• Sociodemographics

Background:

• Fertility outcomes can be influenced by various factors, including ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
• Understanding these associations is crucial for addressing health inequities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between ethnicity and male fertility outcomes in a statewide cohort.
• To identify potential disparities in fertility success rates among different ethnic groups.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 11,363 sub-fertile men undergoing semen analysis in Utah (1998-2017) was analyzed.
• Data linkage with the Utah Population Database and Subfertility Health Assisted Reproduction and Environment database was performed.
• Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the impact of ethnicity on fertility outcomes.

Main Results:

• Hispanic men (9.1% of the cohort) were disproportionately represented in lower socioeconomic status groups.
• Controlling for demographic and clinical factors, Hispanic men showed a reduced likelihood of live births (HR=0.62).
• Hispanic men were less likely to utilize fertility treatments, despite their positive effect on outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Hispanic ethnicity is significantly associated with poorer fertility outcomes in Utah.
• A notable disparity exists, with Hispanic men experiencing approximately 14 fewer live births per 100 men per year.
• These findings underscore the imperative to address ethnic disparities in reproductive health services and outcomes.