Infertility Among South Asian Women in the U.S.: Gynecologic Diagnosis and Future Risk of Chronic Disease
Main Article Content
Shreya Bhatia, BS
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3661-7438
Nitasha Nagaraj, DrPH
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6417-6692
Amita Vyas, PhD
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2358-5569
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3661-7438
Nitasha Nagaraj, DrPH
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6417-6692
Amita Vyas, PhD
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2358-5569
Abstract
This study explores the intersection of gynecologic disorders, infertility, and chronic diseases among South Asian American women, an under-researched population. Using data from 2,677 participants in a web-based survey, we examined the prevalence of infertility, gynecologic conditions (uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome [PCOS]), and their associations with chronic health outcomes, including type 2 diabetes (T2DM), obesity, hypertension, and gestational diabetes (GDM). Multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for age, education, and employment status were used to assess these relationships.
Keywords:
Infertility, Endometriosis, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, South Asian Reproductive Health, Diabetes
Article Details
How to Cite
BHATIA, Shreya; NAGARAJ, Nitasha; VYAS, Amita.
Infertility Among South Asian Women in the U.S.: Gynecologic Diagnosis and Future Risk of Chronic Disease.
Medical Research Archives, [S.l.], v. 12, n. 12, dec. 2024.
ISSN 2375-1924.
Available at: <https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/6115>. Date accessed: 06 jan. 2025.
doi: https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v12i12.6115.
Section
Research Articles
The Medical Research Archives grants authors the right to publish and reproduce the unrevised contribution in whole or in part at any time and in any form for any scholarly non-commercial purpose with the condition that all publications of the contribution include a full citation to the journal as published by the Medical Research Archives.
References
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15. Mumtaz Z, Shahid U, Levay A. Understanding the impact of gendered roles on the experiences of infertility amongst men and women in Punjab. Reprod Health. 2013;10:3. Published 2013 Jan 15. doi: 10.1186/1742-4755-10-3.
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19. Yamamoto A, Johnstone EB, Bloom MS, Huddleston HG, Fujimoto VY. A higher prevalence of endometriosis among Asian women does not contribute to poorer IVF outcomes. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2017;34(6):765-774. doi:10.1007/s10815-017-0919-1
20. Tomassetti C, D'Hooghe T. Endometriosis and infertility: insights into the causal link and management strategies. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2018;51:25-33. doi:10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2018.06.002.
21. Shah MS, Caballes M, Lathi RB, Baker VL, Westphal LM, Milki AA. In vitro fertilization outcomes after fresh and frozen blastocyst transfer in South Asian compared with Caucasian women. Fertil Steril. 2016;105(6): 1484-1487. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert. 2016.02.027
22. Pillay O, Khan K, Ojha K., Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in South Asians. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, 2024: 185-190.
23. Deshpande A, Shah NS, Kandula NR. Obesity and cardiovascular risk among South Asian Americans. Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep. 2023;17(3) :73-82. doi: 10.1007/s12170-023-00714-5.
24. Kandula NR, Kanaya AM, Liu K, et al. Association of 10-year and lifetime predicted cardiovascular disease risk with subclinical atherosclerosis in South Asians: findings from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2014;3(5): e001117. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.114.001117.
25. Gujral UP, Kanaya AM. Epidemiology of diabetes among South Asians in the United States: lessons from the MASALA study. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2021;1495(1):24-39. doi: 10.1111/nyas.14530.
26. Chobufo MD, Gayam V, Soluny J, et al. Prevalence and control rates of hypertension in the USA: 2017-2018. Int J Cardiol Hypertens. Published 2020 Jul 31. doi: 10.1016/j.ijchy.2020.100044
27. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National health and nutrition examination survey: 2015-2016 data documentation, codebook, and frequencies.https://wwwn.cdc.gov/Nchs/Nhanes/limited_access/RHQ_I_R.htm.
28. Robertson HA, Chaudhary Nagaraj N, Vyas AN. Family violence and child sexual abuse among south asians in the US. J Immigrant Minority Health. 2015;18(4):921. doi: 10.1007/s10903-015-0227-8.
29. Schmitt A, Gahr A, Hermanns N, Kulzer B, Huber J, Haak T. The Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire (DSMQ): development and evaluation of an instrument to assess diabetes self-care activities associated with glycemic control. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2013; 11:138. Published 2013 Aug 13. doi:10.1186/1477-7525-11-138 .
30. Dube SR, Felitti VJ, Dong M, Chapman DP, Giles WH, Anda RF. Childhood abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction and the risk of illicit drug use: the adverse childhood experiences study. Pediatrics. 2003;111(3):564–572. doi: 10.1542/peds.111.3.564
31. Bulletti C, Coccia ME, Battistoni S, Borini A. Endometriosis and infertility. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2010;27(8):441-447. doi:10.1007/s10815-010-9436-1
32. Melo AS, Ferriani RA, Navarro PA. Treatment of infertility in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome: approach to clinical practice. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2015;70(11):765-769. doi:10.6061/clin ics/2015(11)09
2. Singh S, Pal N, Shubham S, et al. Polycystic ovary syndrome: etiology, current management, and future therapeutics. J Clin Med. 2023;12(4):1454. Published 2023 Feb 11. doi: 10.3390/jcm12041454.
3. Vannucci S, Clifton VL, Fraser IS, et al. Infertility and reproductive disorders: impact of hormonal and inflammatory mechanisms on pregnancy outcome. Hum Reprod Update. 2016;22(1):104-115. doi:10.1093/humupd/dmv044
4. Parasar P, Ozcan P, Terry KL. Endometriosis: epidemiology, diagnosis and clinical Management. Curr Obstet Gynecol Rep. 2017;6(1):34-41. doi: 10.1007/s13669-017-0187-1.
5. Guidice LC, Kao LC. Endometriosis. Lancet. 2004;364(9447):1789-1799. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)17403-5.
6. Freytag D, Günther V, Maass Nicolai, Alkatout I. Uterine fibroids and infertility. Diagnostics (Basel). 2021;11(8): 1455. Published 2021 Aug 12. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics1108145.
7. Hanson B, Johnstone E, Dorais J, Silver B, Peterson CM, Hotaling J. Female infertility, infertility-associated diagnoses, and comorbidities: a review. 2017; 34(2):167-177. doi:10.1007/s10815 -016-0836-8.
8. Murugappan G, Li S, Alvero RJ, Luke B, Eisenberg ML. Association between infertility and all-cause mortality: analysis of US claims data. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021;225:57.e1–11.7.
9. Murugappan G, Li S, Lathi RB, Baker VL, Eisenberg ML. Increased risk of incident chronic medical conditions in infertile women: analysis of US claims data. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2019;220(5): 473.e1–473.e14. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2019.01.214
10. Murugappan G, Li S, Lathi RB, Baker VL, Luke B, Eisenberg ML. Increased risk of severe maternal morbidity among infertile women: analysis of US claims data. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2020;223(3):40 4.e1–404.e20. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2020.02.027
11. Murugappan G, Li S, Lathi RB, Baker VL, Eisenberg ML. Risk of cancer in fertile women: analysis of US claims data. Hum Reprod. 2019;34(5) :894–902. doi:10.1093/humrep/dez018
12. Yu X, Xu J, Song B, et al. The role of epigenetics in women’s reproductive health: the impact of environmental factors. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024;15:1399757. Published 2024 Sep 13. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1399757.
13. Hartnett Y, Conlon-Trant, R, Duffy R, Doherty AM. Cross-disciplinary working between gynaecologists and mental healthcare professionals: a mixed-methods systematic review protocol. BMJ Open. 2024;14(10):e091378. Published 2024 Oct 16. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-091378.
14. Haan YC, Diemer FS, Van Der Woude L, Van Montfrans GA, Oehlers GP, Brewster LM. The risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease in women with uterine fibroids. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2018;20(4):718-726. doi:10.1111/jch.13253
15. Mumtaz Z, Shahid U, Levay A. Understanding the impact of gendered roles on the experiences of infertility amongst men and women in Punjab. Reprod Health. 2013;10:3. Published 2013 Jan 15. doi: 10.1186/1742-4755-10-3.
16. Demographic snapshot of South Asians in the United States [Internet]. South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT); 2019. Available from: https://saalt.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/SAALT-Demographic-Snapshot-2019.pdf.
17. Guo L, Gordon NP, Chandra M, Dayo O, Lo JC. The risks of polycystic ovary syndrome and diabetes vary by ethnic subgroup among young Asian women. Diabetes Care. 2021; 44(6):e129-e130. doi: 10.2337/dc21-0373.
18. Velarde MC, Bucu MEM, Habana MAE. Endometriosis as a highly relevant yet neglected gynecologic condition in Asian women. Endocr Connect. 2023;12(11):e230169. Published 2023 Oct 5. doi: 10.1530/EC-23-0169.
19. Yamamoto A, Johnstone EB, Bloom MS, Huddleston HG, Fujimoto VY. A higher prevalence of endometriosis among Asian women does not contribute to poorer IVF outcomes. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2017;34(6):765-774. doi:10.1007/s10815-017-0919-1
20. Tomassetti C, D'Hooghe T. Endometriosis and infertility: insights into the causal link and management strategies. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2018;51:25-33. doi:10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2018.06.002.
21. Shah MS, Caballes M, Lathi RB, Baker VL, Westphal LM, Milki AA. In vitro fertilization outcomes after fresh and frozen blastocyst transfer in South Asian compared with Caucasian women. Fertil Steril. 2016;105(6): 1484-1487. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert. 2016.02.027
22. Pillay O, Khan K, Ojha K., Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in South Asians. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, 2024: 185-190.
23. Deshpande A, Shah NS, Kandula NR. Obesity and cardiovascular risk among South Asian Americans. Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep. 2023;17(3) :73-82. doi: 10.1007/s12170-023-00714-5.
24. Kandula NR, Kanaya AM, Liu K, et al. Association of 10-year and lifetime predicted cardiovascular disease risk with subclinical atherosclerosis in South Asians: findings from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2014;3(5): e001117. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.114.001117.
25. Gujral UP, Kanaya AM. Epidemiology of diabetes among South Asians in the United States: lessons from the MASALA study. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2021;1495(1):24-39. doi: 10.1111/nyas.14530.
26. Chobufo MD, Gayam V, Soluny J, et al. Prevalence and control rates of hypertension in the USA: 2017-2018. Int J Cardiol Hypertens. Published 2020 Jul 31. doi: 10.1016/j.ijchy.2020.100044
27. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National health and nutrition examination survey: 2015-2016 data documentation, codebook, and frequencies.https://wwwn.cdc.gov/Nchs/Nhanes/limited_access/RHQ_I_R.htm.
28. Robertson HA, Chaudhary Nagaraj N, Vyas AN. Family violence and child sexual abuse among south asians in the US. J Immigrant Minority Health. 2015;18(4):921. doi: 10.1007/s10903-015-0227-8.
29. Schmitt A, Gahr A, Hermanns N, Kulzer B, Huber J, Haak T. The Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire (DSMQ): development and evaluation of an instrument to assess diabetes self-care activities associated with glycemic control. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2013; 11:138. Published 2013 Aug 13. doi:10.1186/1477-7525-11-138 .
30. Dube SR, Felitti VJ, Dong M, Chapman DP, Giles WH, Anda RF. Childhood abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction and the risk of illicit drug use: the adverse childhood experiences study. Pediatrics. 2003;111(3):564–572. doi: 10.1542/peds.111.3.564
31. Bulletti C, Coccia ME, Battistoni S, Borini A. Endometriosis and infertility. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2010;27(8):441-447. doi:10.1007/s10815-010-9436-1
32. Melo AS, Ferriani RA, Navarro PA. Treatment of infertility in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome: approach to clinical practice. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2015;70(11):765-769. doi:10.6061/clin ics/2015(11)09