Effect of ethnicity on live birth rates after in vitro fertilisation/intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment: analysis of UK national database

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the effect of ethnicity of women on the outcome of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment.

Design

Observational cohort study.

Setting

UK National Database.

Population

Data from 2000 to 2010 involving 38 709 women undergoing their first IVF/ICSI cycle were analysed.

Methods

Anonymous data were obtained from the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA), the statutory regulator of IVF and ICSI treatment in the UK. Data analysis was performed by regression analysis with adjustment for age, cause and type of infertility and treatment type (IVF or ICSI) to express results as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

Methods

Live birth rate per cycle of IVF or ICSI treatment.

Results

While white Irish (OR 0.73; 95% CI 0.60–0.90), Indian (0.85; 0.75–0.97), Bangladeshi (0.53: 0.33–0.85), Pakistani (0.68; 0.58–0.80), Black African (0.60; 0.51–0.72), and other non-Caucasian Asian (0.86; 0.73–0.99) had a significantly lower odds of live birth rates per fresh IVF/ICSI cycle than White British women, ethnic groups of White European (1.04; 0.96–1.13), Chinese (1.12; 0.77–1.64), Black Caribbean (0.76; 0.51–1.13), Middle Eastern (0.73; 0.51–1.04), Mediterranean European (1.18; 0.83–1.70) and Mixed race population (0.94; 0.73–1.19) had live birth rates that did not differ significantly. The cumulative live birth rates showed similar patterns across different ethnic groups.

Conclusion

Ethnicity is a major determinant of IVF/ICSI treatment outcome as indicated by significantly lower live birth rates in some of the ethnic minority groups compared with white British women.

Tweetable abstract

Ethnicity affects IVF outcome with lower live birth rates in some ethnic groups more than in white British.