Comparison of implantation and pregnancy rates in African American and white women in an assisted reproductive technology practice

Objective: To compare TVF outcomes between infertile African American and w hite women. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Hospital-based IVF practice. Patient(s): Women undergoing IVF procedures between November 1996 and June 2000. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcomes Measure(s): Implantation and pregnancy rates. Result(s): There were 24 African American and 273 white women less than or equal to 40 years of age who underwent 25 and 333 IVF cycles, respectively. African American women were more likely to have had tubal factor as a prim ary diagnosis, to have had a child, and to have undergone fewer previous as sisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles as compared to white women. No differences between the two groups for clinical variables were noted with t he exception of body mass index (BMI [kg/m(2)], 27.1 in African Americans v s. 24.8 in whites). implantation rates were higher in African American than in white women (35% vs. 23%, respectively). Pregnancy rates were 71% in Af rican Americans and 48% in whites. After adjustment for tubal factor, BMT, and parity, the odds ratio for pregnancy in African American women versus w hite women increased from 2.6 to 3.3. Conclusion(s): This is the first study to demonstrate a significantly highe r clinical pregnancy rate in African American women as compared to white wo men undergoing ART. These data strongly contradict a recent study comparing the same two groups of women undergoing ART. We urge other ART centers to report their data pertaining to race. (C) 2001 by American Society for Repr oductive Medicine.