TITLE:
Female Infertility and Obesity across the United States—A Geographic Cross-Sectional Analysis
AUTHORS:
Raegan Abadie, Emily M. Dantes, Jennifer H. Shaw, Dani Zoorob
KEYWORDS:
Female, Infertility, Medical Deserts, Obesity, South
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Reproductive Sciences,
Vol.12 No.3,
August
22,
2024
ABSTRACT: This cross-sectional study investigates a connection between female infertility and obesity across various regions of the United States, utilizing data from the NIH’s “All of Us” Researcher Workbench. Analysis suggested that the Southern region exhibited the highest percentage of concurrently infertile and obese females at 32.3%, in contrast to the lowest in the Western region at 28.7%. The findings underscore the significant regional disparities in obesity-related infertility, particularly in medically underserved areas where healthcare access is limited. The study highlights the urgent need for targeted public health interventions, particularly in the Southern United States, to address the rising prevalence of obesity and its impact on infertility. Further, these results advocate for enhanced public health education and policies aimed at improving healthcare accessibility, with the goal of mitigating the adverse effects of obesity on reproductive health.