Around 17.5% of the adult population – roughly 1 in 6 worldwide – experience infertility [1]. While infertility rates are rising, fertility awareness remains low in the United States. This is especially true of minority women as they appear to have a lower fertility awareness than their non-Hispanic White counterparts [2].
Addressing these disparities and improving fertility education in diverse communities can help reduce clinically significant infertility disparities. Here’s more about raising awareness and reducing racial and ethnic disparities and how at-home testing can help provide important insight into hormone levels.
Understanding infertility and the importance of awareness
Infertility is a condition of the reproductive system that causes people to be unable to get pregnant. This condition may result from an issue with either partner or a combination of factors, such as age, issues related to ovulation, and underlying medical conditions. While not all infertility problems are preventable, some important risk factors are.
Recent evidence shows that reproductive-age people have inadequate fertility awareness concerning fertility and infertility risk factors. Although infertility is rising, fertility knowledge gaps are prevalent, especially among ethnic and racial minorities.
Infertility disparities in racial and ethnic minorities
Understanding one’s reproductive potential and related risk factors is crucial. Differences in fertility awareness can contribute to disparities in access to infertility services and the success of infertility treatment. However, access to and utilization of informative insights by reproductive-aged individuals is limited, with studies highlighting the need for improving cross-cultural care and mitigating racial health disparities [3].
According to one study, minority individuals (defined as a race and ethnicity other than non-Hispanic Whites) scored significantly lower in all areas of fertility awareness, including questions related to natural fertility, infertility risk factors, and infertility treatment [4]. Studies have also shown that not only do racial and ethnic minorities experience infertility significantly more frequently than their Caucasian counterparts, but they are also significantly less likely to receive infertility treatment [5]. Providing greater access to fertility insights is crucial to addressing disparities within diverse populations.
Fertility testing
Fertility testing can play a crucial role in increasing fertility awareness, as hormonal imbalances are one of the leading causes of infertility. Conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and anovulation can result from a hormone imbalance in women. Men may also experience hormonal disorders that affect their fertility, such as low testosterone levels. Insights into one’s hormone levels prior to trying to conceive enables individuals to plan, gain a sense of control, and detect problems that can impact fertility.
Simple at-home testing can help identify hormonal imbalances in men and women. Various types of home fertility testing are available to help individuals track their hormone levels and fertility. These tests can make accessing health insights easier, lowering barriers to fertility awareness for all.
How LetsGetChecked can help
At LetsGetChecked, we are committed to driving health equity by enabling individuals to access healthcare services and insights from wherever they are. Understanding hormone levels is crucial, whether looking to have kids soon, thinking about it for the future, or struggling to become pregnant. Our range of at-home fertility testing can help address barriers to fertility awareness so more people can understand their hormonal health and make informed healthcare decisions.
References
- https://www.who.int/news/item/04-04-2023-1-in-6-people-globally-affected-by-infertility
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8409232/
- https://www.fertstertreports.org/article/S2666-3341(22)00032-0/pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8409232/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16580368/
