National Public Health Action Plan for Infertility: Prevalence, Risks, and Surveillance, Exams of Public Health

Download National Public Health Action Plan for Infertility: Prevalence, Risks, and Surveillance and more Exams Public Health in PDF only on Docsity! NatioNal Public HealtH actioN PlaN for the Detection, Prevention, and Management of Infertility This publication addresses the public health importance of infertility and challenges as well as opportunities for action. The findings and recommendations contained in this publication may serve as a platform to stimulate discussion and collaboration among Federal agencies, professional organizations, academic institutions, and those who represent consumers of health services. 4 National Public Health Action Plan for the Detection, Prevention, and Management of Infertility Introduction In general, infertility refers to the inability of couples to conceive a clinical pregnancy after 1 year or more of trying.1 However, definitions for infertility vary widely depending on the type of information available and the purpose for which the information is collected.2 For example, some clinical definitions of infertility include women aged 35 years or older after 6 months of trying to conceive. Further delaying the initiation of infertility interventions could limit their effectiveness. In contrast, demographic definitions of infertility often encompass the inability to have a live birth among sexually active women who are not using contraception. These definitions better meet the needs and constraints of demographic research because of the difficulty in collecting complete information about conception, particularly in studies conducted in developing nations.3 Regardless, the true burden of infertility may be underestimated because neither definition necessarily reflects people who may have stopped trying or who have experienced infertility in the past. Infertility can take several different forms, including resolved infertility (pregnancies that occur after 1 year of trying without medical intervention), primary infertility (never pregnant), or secondary infertility (failure to conceive after having previously delivered an infant without the use of infertility treatment). Other conditions related to infertility are also important to consider when assessing the effect of infertility on public health. Fecundability refers to the probability of becoming pregnant in a single menstrual cycle, conditional on not being pregnant in the previous cycle.3 Impaired fecundity has been defined as physical difficulty in getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term birth.4 Because this publication draws on many different sources of information regarding infertility, we use these terms broadly and cite references for more specific definitions as needed. Public Health Priority Although the ability to have children is often assumed, a significant proportion of individuals and couples experience infertility and may be affected by its resulting social, economic, psychological, and physical effects. The ability to have children represents more than a quality-of-life issue. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other professional organizations, such as the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, have defined infertility as a disease.1,5 Early environmental, chemical, or occupational exposures (e.g., in utero, in childhood) could permanently change fecundity or biologic capacity by affecting gynecologic, urologic, or pregnancy health. These exposures could also affect fertility outcomes (e.g., multiple births, prematurity) and increase the likelihood of later adult-onset diseases, such as ovarian, testicular, or prostate cancers,6-9 metabolic syndrome, and polycystic ovary syndrome. In this way, infertility may serve as a marker of past, present, and future health and provide a window of opportunity to improve care for affected reproductive-aged women and men. Thus, infertility could have public health implications beyond simply the ability to have children. Infertility affects a substantial percentage of reproductive-aged women and men in the United States. One approach to estimating infertility considers the entire population of women and men of reproductive age, regardless of current fertility intentions. Nationally representative data using this approach have come from CDC’s National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) dating back to the early 1980s; the most recent data from the 2006–2010 survey show that, among all married US women aged 15–44 years, 6.0% or an estimated 1.5 million women (and thus their husbands) were infertile and 12% (or 3.1 million women) had impaired fecundity.4 A second approach to estimating infertility considers only the population of reproductive-aged women (and their partners) at risk for infertility, such as those who are actively trying to become pregnant. Studies using this approach have generally yielded higher estimates of infertility. A review of previous US studies, most of which were small and not nationally representative, for example, suggested as many as 12%–18% of couples do not achieve pregnancy within 12 months or cycles of trying.10 Estimates from earlier, nationally representative data from the 2002 NSFG among a similar population of women (and their partners) who were trying to become pregnant indicate that a comparable proportion (16%) were infertile.10,11     5National Public Health Action Plan for the Detection, Prevention, and Management of Infertility For males, some form of infertility was reported by 9% of men, again according to CDC’s NSFG conducted from 2006–2010.4 As with women, the percentage of men reporting infertility was higher when assessing those couples who were trying to become pregnant. Estimates from the earlier NSFG sample of males from 2002, for example, suggest that 12% of couples may be affected by infertility.12 Environmental and occupational hazards account for an unknown proportion of male infertility but are suspected causes of declining human sperm quality in industrialized countries.13-15 The proportion of infertility cases attributable to male-specific factors may be substantial. One earlier evaluation conducted in developed countries in the 1980s by WHO found that 8% of infertility cases were attributable to male factors and 35% to both male and female factors, whereas 37% were attributable to female factors alone and 5% to an unknown cause (the remaining 15% of women became pregnant).16 Another evaluation estimated that male factors account for approximately 20% of couple infertility, with another 30%–40% of cases attributable to reproductive abnormalities that were present in both partners.17 The natural age limits of fertility in both women and men have become more apparent with the recent trend toward delaying childbearing in the United States.18-21 The percentage of first births among women aged 30 years or older increased from 5% in 1975 to 26% in 2010.22,23 Infertility also remains closely associated with age, especially for nulliparous (i.e., childless) women. Recent data from the NSFG, for instance, indicate that among nulliparous women, the percentage experiencing infertility increases markedly with age, from 7%–9% among those aged 15–34 years to 25% among those aged 35–39 years and 30% among those aged 40–44 years.4 As women age, the risk of infertility rises because of diminished egg quality and ovulatory function and because of an increased risk of disorders such as endometriosis, leiomyomata, and tubal disease.24 Advanced paternal age also might contribute to infertility through reductions in the quality and quantity of sperm produced.20,21,25 The combination of the high proportion of pregnancies in the United States that are unintended (about 50%)26 and the rise in intended pregnancy at later ages, when infertility is increasingly common, indicates a basic need for improved education on family planning, infertility, and other reproductive health issues for people who may want children in the future. In the United States, data from the 2006–2010 NSFG 27 also show: • 12% of women of reproductive age (7.3 million women), or their husbands or partners, had ever used infertility services in their lifetime • The percentage of women seeking such services increased with age and was approximately 20% among women aged 35–44 years • About 9% of sexually experienced US men aged 25–44 years reported they or their wives or partners had ever used infertility services to help have a child Services and treatments for infertility range from counseling and advice to medications and surgery. The most common medical services received by reproductive-aged women with current infertility problems were those at the lower end of cost and complexity including advice (29%), testing of her or her male partner (27%), and ovulation medications (20%). Less commonly received services included intrauterine insemination (IUI) (7%), surgery or treatment for blocked tubes (3%), and assisted reproductive technology (ART) (3%). Treatments for infertility can carry significant health risks to the mother and child. For example, a very rare but serious risk of using drugs for ovulation induction is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), which is characterized by enlargement of the ovary and an accumulation of fluid in the abdomen.28 OHSS is usually self-limiting, resolving spontaneously within several days, though the most severe cases may require hospitalization and intensive care. In addition, some (but not all) research suggests that infertility treatments may be associated with an increased risk of gynecologic or breast cancer.29,30 Infertility treatments have increased the rate of twin and higher-order multiple births, which put both mother and infants at higher risk of adverse health outcomes.31-33 Even singleton births resulting from ART are associated with increased risk of low birth weight (<2,500 grams).34 Infants who are born to mothers who receive ART35,36 or non-ART (e.g., clomiphene citrate)37 treatments may be at higher risk of birth defects. 6 National Public Health Action Plan for the Detection, Prevention, and Management of Infertility Overall, the long-term health risks for women and men receiving treatment for infertility and for children born as a result of ART or other treatments are not known.38 Development of the National Public Health Action Plan In 2007, a CDC-wide ad hoc work group was formed to examine the full scope of infertility activities across the agency. This work group conducted an assessment to identify gaps and opportunities in public health surveillance, research, communications, programs, and policy development. This assessment led to publication of a White Paper outlining the need for a national plan with a public health focus on infertility prevention, detection, and management.39 In September 2008, CDC also hosted a symposium “Infertility as a Public Health Issue” attended by about 60 stakeholders from Federal agencies, professional and consumer organizations, academia, and the health care community. In response to interest from Congress40 and stakeholders, CDC developed this National Action Plan to promote collaborative activities within and outside the Federal government. A draft of the document was posted on www.regulations.gov for public comment on May 16, 2012. The comment period closed on July 16, 2012. A total of 58 comments were received and have been incorporated into the strategy as appropriate. Also, representatives of several Federal agencies provided comments on the Plan and noted opportunities for future collaboration. 9National Public Health Action Plan for the Detection, Prevention, and Management of Infertility collect information, for example, on egg donors, patients treated with specific classes of fertility drugs, cancer patients who use fertility preservation methods, or military veterans with service-related infertility. Initiatives to achieve prospective follow-up of couples planning or at risk for pregnancy are important for establishing incidence and attributing clinical factors among couples undergoing infertility evaluations. Scientific and Programmatic Opportunities The following are specific actions that public sector agencies, professional and consumer organizations, and other partners and stakeholders could take to help improve the detection of infertility in the United States. 1. Develop and validate standard case definitions for population-based and clinical surveillance of infertility. Development of standard case definitions for infertility and related factors would provide uniform measures for use in public health and clinical practice. These standard definitions could improve the synthesis of information and ultimately lead to improved evidence-based guidelines and recommendations for detecting, preventing, and managing infertility. 2. Improve the surveillance of infertility and related factors. Population-based surveys could be developed or existing systems could be expanded to support the measuring and monitoring of the prevalence and incidence of infertility, associated risk factors, and health outcomes in women, men, and offspring. For example, the NSFG could better evaluate infertility by increasing participant sample sizes related to the use of infertility treatment, adding new survey questions about experiences with infertility diagnosis or treatment, and extending its surveys to include older women and men who are more likely to have experienced infertility. Questions that directly query women and men about infertility could also be added to other large population- based surveys (see List of Public Health Surveillance Systems and Surveys Referenced) that currently collect data relevant to understanding health conditions and factors that may affect fertility. Similarly, to improve the value of public health surveillance of ART cycles and outcomes and better understand infertility, additional data from the male partner such as infertility diagnosis and semen quality could be added to the National ART Surveillance System. Further, multiple records in this system could be linked to allow evaluation of the effectiveness and safety of ART by patient instead of by treatment cycle. This enhancement would strengthen the ability to evaluate the short- and long-term effects of ART use on maternal and infant outcomes on a per-patient basis. Finally, the development of new surveillance systems to monitor the use and health outcomes of non-ART treatments for infertility should be explored. Birth certificates include information on ART and non-ART treatment that could also monitor the relationship to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. A possible approach for this could be identifying and including structured data elements to collect such information in electronic health records. 10 National Public Health Action Plan for the Detection, Prevention, and Management of Infertility Chapter 2: Prevention of Infertility Public Health Importance Many questions remain about the prevention of infertility. Although unknown, the proportion of infertility that may be preventable is suspected to be substantial.39 Established and possible causes of infertility include genetic abnormalities, aging, certain acute and chronic diseases, behavioral risk factors (e.g., body weight, smoking),43 and exposure to certain environmental, occupational, and infectious agents. One example of a recognized, preventable risk factor for infertility in women and men is untreated sexually transmitted infection (STI). In particular, infection with Chlamydia trachomatis increases the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women.44-46 If left untreated, PID can cause structural or functional fallopian tube damage known as tubal factor infertility. Tubal factor infertility, which may be caused by Chlamydia trachomatis or by other infections, such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is estimated to affect as many as 18% of women using ART to treat infertility.39 Among men, C. trachomatis infection has been linked with nongonoccocal urethritis, epididymitis, and lower sperm counts.47 In addition, substantial racial disparities have been identified in the rates of chlamydial infection. For example, the prevalence among non-Hispanic blacks is about five times higher than among non-Hispanic whites.48 Racial disparities also exist in the rates of chronic conditions that affect fertility, such as fibroids.49 Public health monitoring of the prevalence of such conditions and associated risk factors can lead to improved identification, guidance, and implementation of effective prevention and management strategies. The Challenge Understanding the Causes of Infertility To be able to develop and implement effective public health interventions, researchers need standard case definitions for male and female infertility and its causes. Although much is understood about the causes of infertility, more research from cohorts that are carefully followed up prospectively would help identify the causes and percentage of infertility cases that can be attributed to specific risk factors and medical conditions. However, research on infertility is inherently complicated because infertility is generally diagnosed only when a man, woman, or couple attempts to become pregnant. People who are not actively trying to conceive will typically not have the opportunity to be evaluated or receive a diagnosis of infertility. Current surveillance systems are not designed to identify the spectrum of women and men who may have unrecognized infertility.50 11National Public Health Action Plan for the Detection, Prevention, and Management of Infertility New methods for measuring infertility and for identifying and improving conditions that are precursors to infertility are needed. Improving our understanding about the causes of infertility will enhance preventive and therapeutic options for both women and men and reduce our reliance on the use of more invasive methods to treat infertility at later stages. Research is needed to better understand many known and potential causes of infertility, including but not limited to the following: • Reproductive aging—that is, establishing biomarkers, determining the predictors and correlates of early depletion of the ovarian reserve, and the effects of age on semen quality and reproductive function. • Important developmental periods—that is, identifying factors that affect fertility during certain developmental periods (e.g., preconception, in utero, puberty, transgeneration) to identify the best time for intervention. • Infectious diseases—that is, the proportion of cases of tubal factor infertility attributable to infectious diseases and the role of specific infections, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, mycoplasmas, trichomoniasis, bacterial vaginosis, tuberculosis of the reproductive tract, microbial organisms associated with reproductive tract infections, epididymoorchitis, prostatitis, and mumps. • Chronic conditions and diseases—including endocrine and metabolic diseases such as primary ovarian insufficiency, polycystic ovary syndrome, hypothalamic amenorrhea, menstrual cycle defects, endometriosis, uterine leiomyomata, thyroid disorders, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, meiotic aneuploidy, cystic fibrosis, varicocele, testicular disorders, multiple sclerosis, general urologic health, and immune-mediated disorders. • Behavioral factors—such as diet, exercise, sleep, psychological and physiological stress, caffeine consumption, tobacco and alcohol use, weight gain or loss, nutritional disorders, illicit or prescription drug use, and illicit use of anabolic steroids and growth hormones. • Iatrogenic causes—such as chemotherapy or associated medications for testicular or ovarian cancer and antiretroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS. • Occupational and environmental hazards—such as radiation, repetitive motion or posture, injury (e.g., reproductive or urinary tract trauma such as that experienced during military duty), or natural or synthetic chemicals and compounds with hormonal activities (e.g., endocrine disruptors). • Genetic influences—such as male karyotype abnormalities, Y chromosome microdeletions, or androgen receptor gene abnormalities. Public Health Interventions for Prevention Public health interventions to prevent infertility must be based on evidence from research. This translation of science into public health practice requires the development of systems and policies to incorporate research results into prevention programs. The prevention of infertility should be integrated into a broader agenda for reproductive health promotion for both women and men. Programs, interventions, strategies, and other methods for preventing infertility must be developed and evaluated. Examples of these activities include but are not limited to the following: • Comprehensive approaches to STI screening, treatment, prevention, and education to reduce infertility and to address economic and racial disparities in access to STI prevention, testing, and treatment, use of infertility services, and outcomes of treatment.51,52 • Interventions to reconcile and clarify simultaneous public health messages for preventing infertility and for preventing unintended pregnancy among youth. • Chronic disease prevention and health promotion programs to reduce the incidence and severity of conditions such as diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, and infertility related to polycystic ovary syndrome. 14 National Public Health Action Plan for the Detection, Prevention, and Management of Infertility • Address the ethical and social issues related to certain clinical procedures, as well as the financial costs of medically assisted reproduction. • Eliminate disparities in access to safe and effective treatment for infertility. The Challenge New treatments for infertility that are safer and more effective than current treatments need to be developed, and more research is needed to improve the safety and efficacy of currently available treatments. Examples of current infertility treatments that could be further improved include the following: regimens to induce ovulation, adjuvant therapy to enhance the success rates of IVF, regimens to prevent or treat OHSS, methods to preserve the integrity of oocytes and embryos, treatments to prevent recurrent pregnancy loss, treatments to modify male factors, and, continual efforts to promote overall health across the lifespan. Other areas that could be addressed include finding ways to lower the cost of ART treatment, developing treatments that are noninvasive or minimally invasive and encouraging their use, and improving infertility management education for health care providers. Given the increased risks to the health of mothers and infants that are associated with multiple births, treatments that do not increase the chances of this outcome are needed. The safety and efficacy of the use of donors for infertility management (e.g., oocyte donation, oocyte cryopreservation, sperm donation, reproductive tissue donation, gestational surrogacy) should be evaluated for donors, recipients, and children conceived.55 In addition, the long-term effects of infertility treatments on adults—as well as on children conceived as a result of the treatment—need to be more fully assessed. More research is needed to improve communications with diverse populations of women and men experiencing infertility. Psychological and behavioral research could help improve our understanding of issues related to the effect of infertility on their emotional well-being and quality of life and the use of services for dealing with infertility, medical and other service-seeking behaviors by individuals and couples experiencing infertility, decision-making around the issue of infertility and approaches for single adults and couples trying to have children, and the effect of multiple gestation and adverse pregnancy outcomes on parents and children. Efforts are needed to identify the best methods for providing equitable access to infertility services among those in need while minimizing adverse and costly health outcomes, such as those associated with multiple births. Studies should examine the cost-effectiveness of different treatment methods for women and men (e.g., pharmaceutical management versus microsurgical treatment of male or female factors, single embryo transfer versus higher-order embryo transfer), including the costs of patient outcomes (e.g., multiple births). These investigations could use administrative (e.g., insurance) data and data from other sources. For example, if researchers can ensure adequate protection of the security and confidentiality of the data, studies could use insurance and hospitalization datasets to monitor the costs related to treating infertility, including hospitalization costs, out-of-pocket expenses, and days of work lost. Infertility prevention and management practices could potentially be improved by engaging public and private payers for those services, conducting cost-effectiveness analyses, developing guidelines and recommendations for providers of infertility services, and improving educational information about infertility for the public. Guidelines should be based on scientific evidence of the safety and effectiveness of infertility services and treatments, and they should take into account multiple considerations. For example, some infertility services, such as gestational surrogacy and egg or sperm donation, raise complex ethical, legal, and social questions— including questions about coercion, payment for surrogates or donors, and ability to follow up with donors to assess possible long-term effects on their mental and physical health. Guidelines might also include counseling on alternatives for achieving parenthood (e.g., adoption) or choosing to live without children. The appropriate use of infertility treatment advances that allow extension of the age at which conception, carrying a pregnancy 15National Public Health Action Plan for the Detection, Prevention, and Management of Infertility to term, and delivery may now be achieved must be balanced against another—public health and societal interests in preventing adverse health outcomes and excessive health care costs. Scientific and Programmatic Opportunities The following are specific actions that public sector agencies, professional and consumer organizations, and other partners and stakeholders could take to help manage infertility in the United States. 1. Monitor and evaluate the short- and long-term safety of infertility interventions. Research and enhanced surveillance should focus on the safety, efficacy, and use of different infertility services and treatments for managing male and female infertility in different populations. These efforts would improve our understanding of the possible short-term effects of infertility treatment. They would also improve our understanding of the possible long-term effects of infertility treatment on women and men (regardless of the success of the treatment) and on any children conceived as a result of these treatments. 2. Eliminate disparities in access to high-quality infertility services, including diagnosis, referral, and treatment. Efforts should focus on reducing disparities in access to, use of, and outcomes related to infertility services. Integration of infertility services into primary care settings that target underserved populations could help reduce the economic and racial disparities in access to infertility treatment. 3. Promote further development, adoption, evaluation, and implementation of evidence-based guidelines and recommendations that address the prevention, diagnosis, and management of infertility. Evidence-based guidelines and recommendations for providing infertility services to women and men from professional medical associations (such as the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the American Urological Association) should be evaluated on their use and effectiveness, and new guidelines should be developed as needed. Guidelines and recommendations should be based on scientific evidence. They should also be comprehensive enough to address the numerous—and often complex—issues that surround the management of infertility. These issues include complications associated with infertility treatment (e.g., higher-order multiple births, OHSS), and bioethical and cost considerations. 4. Develop educational programs to increase awareness of the safety and effectiveness of treatments for infertility and other options for managing infertility. Efforts should be made to ensure that health professionals have adequate resources and training to educate patients and the public about the benefits and risks of the infertility services available as well as other options for dealing with infertility (e.g., adoption). 16 National Public Health Action Plan for the Detection, Prevention, and Management of Infertility Conclusion This National Action Plan identifies many opportunities for reducing infertility and its causes in the United States. It highlights scientific and programmatic opportunities to strengthen the public health approach to detecting, preventing, and managing various types of infertility. Governmental and nongovernmental organizations must work together to address the gaps in our understanding of the causes of both female and male infertility and to increase opportunities for prevention. Important partners in these efforts should include Federal, state, and local agencies; the scientific community; health care professionals; insurance providers; employers; industry; nonprofit organizations; and organizations representing people coping with infertility. This discussion is critical to the call for action by the White Paper: “… a coordinated and multidisciplinary approach to address infertility, from primary prevention to treatment and support.” 39 Acknowledgements The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gratefully acknowledges the extraordinary expertise, commitment, and collaboration of many individuals and organizations whose dedicated efforts resulted in the development of this document. This includes public health professionals from CDC and other agencies of the Federal government as well as persons representing professional and consumer organizations, academic programs, medical institutions and others interested in the public health aspects of infertility. 19National Public Health Action Plan for the Detection, Prevention, and Management of Infertility 39. Macaluso M, Wright-Schnapp TJ, Chandra A, Johnson R, Satterwhite CL, Pulver A, Berman SM, Wang RY, Farr SL, Pollack LA. A public health focus on infertility prevention, detection, and management. Fertil Steril. 2010;93:16.E1-E10. 40. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations. Conference Report for Pub L 111-220. Washington, DC: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations; 2010:86. 41. Slama R, Eustache F, Ducot B, Jensen TK, Jørgensen N, Horte A, Irvine S, Suominen J, Andersen AG, Auger J, et al. Time to pregnancy and semen parameters: a cross-sectional study among fertile couples from four European cities. Hum Reprod. 2002;17:503-515. 42. Joffe M, Key J, Best N, Keiding N, Scheike T, Jensen TK. Studying time to pregnancy by use of a retrospective design. Am J Epidemiol. 2005;162:115-124. 43. Homan GF, Davies M, Norman R. The impact of lifestyle factors on reproductive performance in the general population and those undergoing infertility treatment: a review. Hum Reprod Update. 2007;13:209-223. 44. Oakeshott P, Kerry S, Aghaizu A, Atherton H, Hay S, Taylor-Robinson D, Simms I, Hay P. Randomised controlled trial of screening for Chlamydia trachomatis to prevent pelvic inflammatory disease: the POPI (prevention of pelvic infection) trial. BMJ. 2010;340: c1642. 45. Østergaard L, Andersen B, Møller JK, Olesen F. Home sampling versus conventional swab sampling for screening of Chlamydia trachomatis in women: a cluster-randomized 1-year follow-up study. Clin Infect Dis. 2000;31:951-957. 46. Scholes D, Stergachis A, Heidrich FE, Andrilla H, Holmes KK, Stamm WE. Prevention of pelvic inflammatory disease by screening for cervical chlamydial infection. N Engl J Med. 1996;334:1362-1366. 47. Joki-Korpela P, Sahrakorpi N, Halttunen M, Surcel HM, Paavonen J, Tiitinen A. The role of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in male infertility. Fertil Steril. 2009;91(suppl 4):1448-1450. 48. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chlamydia prevention: challenges and strategies for reducing disease burden and sequelae. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2011;60(12):370-373. 49. Jacoby VL, Fujimoto VY, Giudice LC, Kuppermann M, Washington AE. Racial and ethnic disparities in benign gynecologic conditions and associated surgeries. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2010;202:514-521. 50. Greil AL, McQuillan J, Johnson K, Slauson-Blevins K, Shreffler KM. The hidden infertile: infertile women without pregnancy intent in the United States. Fertil Steril. 2010;93:2080-2083. 51. Feinberg EC, Larsen FW, Catherino WH, Zhang J, Armstrong AY. Comparison of assisted reproductive technology utilization and outcomes between Caucasian and African American patients in an equal-access-to- care setting. Fertil Steril. 2006;85:888-894. 52. Bitler M, Schmidt L. Health disparities and infertility: impacts of state-level insurance mandates. Fertil Steril. 2006;85:858-865. 53. Martin JR, Bromer JG, Sakkas D, Patrizio P. Insurance coverage and in vitro fertilization outcomes: a US perspective. Fertil Steril. 2011;95:964-969. 54. Jain T, Hornstein MD. Disparities in access to infertility services in a state with mandated insurance coverage. Fertil Steril. 2005;84:221-223. 55. Kawwass JF, Monsour M, Crawford S, Kissin DM, Session DR, Kulkarni AD, Jamieson DJ; National ART Surveillance System (NASS) Group. Trends and outcomes for donor oocyte cycles in the United States, 2000-2010. JAMA. 2013;310:2426-2434. 20 National Public Health Action Plan for the Detection, Prevention, and Management of Infertility List of Public Health Surveillance Systems and Surveys Referenced National ART Surveillance System www.cdc.gov/art/NASS.htm In collaboration with the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, CDC supports the National ART Surveillance System (NASS), a Web-based system for reporting data on assisted reproductive technology (ART). This surveillance system captures more than 95% of the estimated ART procedures performed annually in the United States. The system collects data on each client’s medical history (such as infertility diagnoses), clinical data on the ART procedure, and data on resulting pregnancies and births. Data from NASS are used to prepare CDC’s Annual Report on ART Clinic Success Rates. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes.htm CDC began the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) program as a series of surveys focusing on different population groups or health topics in the early 1960s. The surveys became a continuous program in 1999. NHANES uses household and private interview methods to collect annual health and nutrition information on a nationally representative sample of noninstitutionalized civilians. Health interview topics include the following: current health status, medical conditions, reproductive health (pregnancy history, lactation, use of contraception, and men’s and women’s health conditions), health insurance coverage, use of health care services, lifestyle behaviors (including sexual, illicit drug, alcohol, and tobacco use behaviors), occupational history, and environmental exposure to chemicals. National Survey of Family Growth www.cdc.gov/nchs/NSFG.htm CDC conducts the National Survery of Family Growth (NSFG) to collect national estimates of the prevalence of infertility and impaired fecundity and the use of infertility services in the United States among males and females. The survey gathers information on family life, marriage and divorce, pregnancy, infertility, use of contraception, and men’s and women’s health. Survey results are used to plan health services and health education programs and to conduct statistical studies of families, fertility, and health. Recently added questions to the survey help researchers investigate the associations between cancer history and various factors, including the use of infertility services, as well as use of chlamydia screening to assess adherence to current CDC screening recommendations. National Vital Statistics System www.cdc.gov/nchs/births.htm CDC cooperates with the states to maintain the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS), a Federal compilation of births and other vital statistics data. Birth certificates contain maternal and paternal information (e.g., education, race, age) and information on the infant (e.g., birth date, plurality, sex, birth weight, congenital anomalies, complications of labor and delivery). Because the 2003 revision of the standard US birth certificate added information about the use of infertility treatment, birth certificates could become an important source of information on the association between these treatments and maternal and child health. 21National Public Health Action Plan for the Detection, Prevention, and Management of Infertility Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System www.cdc.gov/prams The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is a joint project of CDC and state health departments. It uses surveys to collect state-specific, population-based data on maternal attitudes and experiences before, during, and shortly after pregnancy. The goal of the system is to improve the health of mothers and infants by reducing adverse outcomes, such as low birth weight, infant death and disease, and maternal disease. Selected states collect data on the use of infertility treatment. These data may provide useful information on the association between infertility and infertility treatments and adverse health outcomes for mothers and infants. Notes PUBLIC HEALTH & INFERTILITY June 2014