Generational changes in self-reported infertility among migrants in Australia

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Migration Studies
• Public Health

Background:

• Limited knowledge exists on international migrants' reproductive health due to marginalization in research.
• Understanding infertility prevalence across migrant generations is crucial for targeted health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the prevalence of self-reported infertility among different migrant generations and origin groups in Australia.
• To compare infertility risk between migrant groups and the Australian-born majority.
• To investigate the role of socio-demographic factors in explaining observed infertility differences.

Main Methods:

• Utilized pooled data from the 2011, 2015, and 2019 Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey.
• Analyzed self-reported infertility prevalence across three migrant generations and various regions of origin.
• Employed multivariable analyses to examine differences in infertility risk and socio-demographic influences.

Main Results:

• Average current infertility prevalence was 11.8% for women and 7.5% for men.
• Migrant generations (1 and 1.5) exhibited a health advantage in infertility risk compared to the majority population, except for those from English-speaking countries.
• This health advantage diminished for the second migrant generation.

Conclusions:

• Findings support the healthy migrant hypothesis, suggesting selection effects from Australia's immigration policies.
• The declining health advantage across generations indicates potential integration challenges or changing health behaviors.
• Australia's reproductive health policies must adapt to address the specific needs of its diverse and growing migrant population.