Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34344417›Full record

ArticleReproductive health2021

Household income and medical help-seeking for fertility problems among a representative population in Japan.

Arisa Iba, Eri Maeda, Seung Chik Jwa, Ayako Yanagisawa-Sugita, Kazuki Saito, Akira Kuwahara, Hidekazu Saito, Yukihiro Terada, Osamu Ishihara, Yasuki Kobayashi

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In one paragraph

Article in Reproductive health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. New Frontiers in Reproductive Health: Australians' Support for Uterus Transplantation.The Australian & New Zealand journal of obstetrics & gynaecology · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Article
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  9. Article
  10. Observational
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Arisa IbaDepartment of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.
Eri MaedaDepartment of Environmental Health Science and Public Health, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, Akita, 010-8543, Japan.
Seung Chik JwaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saitama Medical University, 38 Morohongo, Moroyama-machi, Iruma, Saitama, 350-0495, Japan.
Ayako Yanagisawa-SugitaDepartment of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.
Kazuki SaitoDepartment of Pediatrics, Perinatal, and Maternal Medicine (Ibaraki), Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.
Akira KuwaharaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan.
Hidekazu SaitoUmegaoka Women's Clinic, 1-33-3 Umegaoka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 154-0022, Japan.
Yukihiro TeradaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, Akita, 010-8543, Japan.
Osamu IshiharaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saitama Medical University, 38 Morohongo, Moroyama-machi, Iruma, Saitama, 350-0495, Japan.
Yasuki KobayashiDepartment of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan. yasukik@m.u-tokyo.ac.jp.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9616-0687

Funding

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Health and Labour Sciences Research Grant (H30-Sukoyaka-Ippan-002)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFertility treatments help many infertile couples to have children. However, disparities exist in access to fertility tests and treatments. We investigated the association between household income and medical help-seeking for fertility in Japan.

methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study using nationally representative data from the National Fertility Survey 2015. Respondents were 6598 married women younger than 50 years old. The primary outcome was medical help-seeking for fertility among those who experienced fertility problems. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the association between household income and medical help-seeking, adjusting for age, length of marriage, educational level, employment status, number of children, childbearing desires, living with parents, and region of residence.

resultsAmong 2253 (34%) women who experienced fertility problems, 1154 (51%) sought medical help. The proportion of help-seekers increased linearly from 43% in the low-income group (< 4 million Japanese yen [JPY]) to 59% in the high-income group (≥ 8 million JPY) (P for trend < 0.001). Respondents with upper-middle (6-8 million JPY) or high household income were more likely to seek medical help, compared to those with low household income: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.37 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00-1.86) and aOR 1.78 (95% CI: 1.29-2.47), respectively.

conclusionsWe found that higher household income was associated with a higher probability of seeking medical help among Japanese women who experienced fertility problem. Along with policy discussion about additional financial support, further studies from societal, cultural, or psychological views are required.

Indexed as

IncomeMarriageChildCross-Sectional StudiesEducational StatusFemaleHumansJapanMiddle AgedSocioeconomic FactorsCare-seekingHealthcare disparitiesInfertilityJapanSocioeconomic status

Identifiers

PMID34344417
PMCPMC8336394

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.