Occupation and the clinical characteristics of infertile couples

The influence of social class on the composition of infertile groups and on their use of health care services could reflect how the latter meet the non-urgent needs for health care in populations.

Clinical, demographic, and occupational variables were collected prospectively from 2,198 couples newly registered in 11 infertility clinics. Time to diagnostic laparoscopy and time to treatment were evaluated with the use of proportional hazards analysis.

1) In the upper quartile of family income, the duration of infertility was six months less than for couples with the lowest incomes; 2) Tubal infertility was independently associated with lower family income; 3) Occupation and income were unrelated to the likelihood of either a complete diagnostic assessment or treatment for the infertility.

Social class seems an important factor in the distribution of infertility diagnoses, although occupation and income were not associated with important clinical management decisions.