1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«In order to capture the extent to which access to infertility treatment reached marginalized populations such as immigrants to Canada, the present report examines the overall socio-demographic characteristics of Canadian-born patients and those born outside Canada as well as in relation to the advent of public funding of IVF [in vitro fertilization].» (p. 1034)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
L’étude est basée sur la participation de 3573 patients (1903 femmes et 1670 hommes) suivant une procédure de fertilisation in vitro dans deux cliniques de fertilité montréalaises (une privée, une publique).

Instruments :
Questionnaire

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

«Patients born outside Canada comprised almost half of the patients surveyed in our study; given that immigrants make up 37.6% among adults aged 25–44 in the Montreal area, they appear to be over-represented in the fertility patient sample that we studied. The fact that immigrant patients sought fertility treatment in such large numbers may reflect the high value placed upon children in their countries of origin. […] As length of stay in Canada increases, immigrants appear to exhibit rates of secondary infertility and employment that resemble those of Canadian-born patients. This suggests that acculturation may be playing a role in access to fertility treatment among first-generation Canadians. […] Furthermore, patients born outside Canada comprised a larger proportion of patients aged 35 years or older in our sample, suggesting that not only are many immigrants accessing ART [assisted reproductive technologies] services, but they are likely to be older as well. Specifically, older, immigrant patients were less likely than Canadian-born patients to be seeking treatment for secondary infertility, suggesting that they may have delayed fertility treatment seeking. Possible reasons for delayed infertility treatment seeking among immigrants may include financial, cultural or linguistic barriers and limited knowledge or awareness about infertility and/or the availability of ART services […].» (p. 1038)