Has fertility declined from mid-1990s to mid-2000s?

The relationship between vaginal pH and bacterial vaginosis as diagnosed using qPCR in an asymptomatic subfertile population

PURPOSE

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a dysbiosis of the vaginal microbiome and a condition found in 20-30% of all women. Literature describing the possible link between BV and subfertility is increasing. Newer techniques such as quantitative polymerase chain reactions (qPCR) detect BV more accurately than traditional methods but come with high costs. The association between pH and BV as diagnosed using traditional methods is well-established in a symptomatic population. This study is the first to investigate the association between pH and BV diagnosed by qPCR in an asymptomatic subfertile population and to examine the usefulness of pH as a means of cost reduction.

METHODS

Data of 170 pH-qPCR combinations were used from a prospective cohort study examining bacterial vaginosis in a subfertile population. 102 women received a vaginal swab and pH measurement at baseline and subsequent advanced reproductive technology (ART) treatments. The swabs are analysed using the AmpliSens^®Florocenosis/Bacterial vaginosis-FRT qPCR kit.

RESULTS

pH is strongly associated with BV as diagnosed by qPCR (OR 3.06, p = 0.000, CI 1.65-5.68). The cut-off point for pH ≥ 4.7 maximised diagnostic performance [AUC 0.74 (CI 0.66-0.83), sensitivity 76%] and reduced costs by 60%.

CONCLUSION

This study shows that the vaginal pH for a multi-ethnic, asymptomatic population of women attending fertility clinics is strongly associated with BV qPCR outcome. Using the cut-off of pH of 4.7 has a high sensitivity for diagnosis of BV by qPCR and can be achieved at a cost reduction of 60%.

Influence of social determinants on fertility: a critical review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Intrinsic factors, such as age, weight and lifestyle habits, together with extrinsic factors, such as socioeconomic level, must be considered when it comes to reproductive healthcare. Over the last few years, studies that attempt to respond to the participation and interaction of these factors in subfertility have been published; however, some questions remain unanswered.

RECENT FINDINGS

Although there are little modifiable factors for women, it is possible to influence other factors, such as behavioural or cultural factors in order to minimize fertility problems; however, they are often highly influenced by each other.

SUMMARY

Advanced age, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, alcohol, tobacco and other compounds, have a clearly negative effect and may extend time-to-pregnancy, although the responsible mechanisms and the magnitude of the detriment that they produce in the reproductive health are yet to be studied. Economic context and new environmental factors are a current challenge for reproductive health too.

Socioeconomic variations in female fertility impairment: a study in a cohort of Portuguese mothers

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to assess the association of socioeconomic conditions with female fertility impairment among women who delivered a live birth.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional analysis.

SETTING

Population-based birth cohort (Generation XXI) assembled in 2005/2006 from five public maternity units in Porto Metropolitan Region, Northern Portugal.

PARTICIPANTS

7472 women aged 18 or more with spontaneous conception and no male diagnosis of infertility were recruited and interviewed immediately after birth with structured questionnaires.

EXPOSURES OF INTEREST

Maternal education, occupation and income were recorded as proxy indicators of social conditions.

OUTCOME

Impaired female fertility, defined as women who had unsuccessfully tried to conceive for over a year.

DATA ANALYSIS

Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the association between each socioeconomic indicator and impaired female fertility, stratified by previous pregnancy experience and adjusted for age, pregnancy planning and behavioural characteristics.

RESULTS

Among primigravidae, 7.7% (95% CI 6.8% to 8.6%) presented impaired fertility and the prevalence was 9.6% (95% CI 8.7% to 10.6%) in multigravidae. In crude analysis, we found women with impaired fertility to be older, less educated, more likely to have planned the current pregnancy and to be overweight/obese; they had similar levels of income or occupation. In multivariate models, a significant independent association between educational level and female fertility impairment remained among primigravidae (OR (95% CI) vs ≤6 schooling years: 7-9: 0.85 (0.54 to 1.34); 10-12: 0.34 (0.21 to 0.54); >12: 0.24 (0.14 to 0.40), ptrend<0.001) but not in multigravidae.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that education might be important in understanding female fertility impairment, particularly among first-time pregnant women. It also points out that the association is not totally explained by other sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics that have been previously found to be important to disclose this relation.