Where we live can affect our ability to conceive a child.
- During the study, 3,725 pregnancies were identified and analyzed.
- At the start of the work, the average age of the participants was 30 years old.
- Investments made in disadvantaged neighborhoods to address socio-economic disparities can have positive effects on fertility.
Is living and residing in a disadvantaged neighborhood associated with lower fertility? This is the question answered by researchers at Oregon State University (USA) in a study published in the journal JAMA Network Open. As part of this work, they examined the link between place of residence and fertility, “a sensitive marker of fertility with many health implications.”
6,356 participants
For the purposes of the research, the team used data from an ongoing cohort, called the “Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO)”, collected from June 2013 to April 2019. The latter involved 6,356 people, aged 21 to 45. years, who were trying to conceive a child without resorting to medically assisted procreation techniques.
When registering for this clinical trial, participants indicated their address. They had to answer questions about the characteristics of their menstrual cycle and pregnancy status every eight weeks for a maximum of 12 months. The researchers compared the volunteers’ information using socio-economic indicators including level of education, housing, employment and poverty.
Fecundability is reduced by 19 to 21%
According to the results, participants who lived in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods had a 19 to 21% reduction in fecundability (i.e. the probability of fertilization according to the period of the menstrual cycle) compared to those living in the least privileged neighborhoods. disadvantaged. Based on national rankings, the most deprived neighborhoods had a 23-25% reduction in fertility compared to the least deprived areas.
“The fact that we get the same results at the national and state level really shows that the deprivation of housing rights can influence reproductive health, including fertility. Approaching fertility research from a structure could help reduce or prevent infertility in general, especially because the treatments are expensive and are generally only accessible to families with significant incomes”, said Mary Willis, author of the study, in a statement.
