Research Mentor Name

Anil Aranha, PhD

Research Mentor Email Address

aaranha@wayne.edu

Document Type

Research Abstract

Research Type

womenshealth

Abstract

Title: Impact of Reproductive Medical Conditions on Fertility Struggles in Metropolitan Detroit Women

Tonia Jones, MPH1, Indrea Joplin, BS1, Melanie Hanna-Johnson, MD2, Anil Aranha, PhD1,2

Medical Education1, Internal Medicine2, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan.

Background and Purpose: Internationally, 48 million couples and 186 million individuals experience infertility, defined as difficulty with conception, gestation, or delivery. Medical conditions such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) may contribute. Our purpose was to assess their significance among women in Metropolitan Detroit experiencing infertility.

Methods: Data were collected from 48 consenting participants at Wayne Health Clinic, Detroit, Michigan, following WSUIRB approval. Inclusion criteria: 1) women aged 18 years and older, 2) residents of Metropolitan Detroit, 3) cognitively sound, 4) ability to provide consent and communicate in English. Study parameters included sociodemographic, past medical, obstetric and gynecologic (including reproductive medical conditions (RMCs) and treatments), and family history. Data were coded and analyzed using IBM SPSS, with statistical significance assigned at p< 0.05.

Results: Participants were 91.7% African American/multi-ethnic women; mean age 60±16 years, 75% employed/retired; 97.9% had high school diplomas/GEDs, and 57.4% had incomes below $40,000/year. Twenty-six percent reported difficulty with infertility; among these, 83.3% had a history of one or more RMCs. There was a significant relationship between infertility and RMCs (p< 0.01). Only 34.3% of women who stated no difficulty with infertility reported history of a RMC that included either endometriosis, PCOS, uterine fibroids, or ovarian cysts.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates a strong association between women who experienced difficulty with conception and the presence of RMCs. It is interesting to note that our research did not observe a relationship between infertility and social determinants of health (SDOH). Further studies are in progress to confirm these findings.

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