Prevalence of Infertility and Factors for Not Seeking Medical Help in Japan

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H03193
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58030:Hygiene and public health-related: excluding laboratory approach
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University (2022-2023); Akita University (2021)
• Principal Investigator: Maeda Eri 北海道大学, 医学研究院, 准教授 (30778395)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 野村 恭子 秋田大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (40365987) ; 左 勝則 埼玉医科大学, 医学部, 非常勤講師 (60819126) ; 小林 廉毅 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科(医学部), 教授 (70178341)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 不妊症 / 有病率

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Since no prevalence survey based on the World Health Organization’s definition of infertility (i.e., 12 months of infertility) has been conducted in Japan, we conducted a cross-sectional survey using a two-stage stratified systematic random sampling design. Among the 1,200 participants (total sample), 853 women were currently married or cohabiting with a male partner (cohabiting sample), and 35 women were aged 25-44, at risk of pregnancy, and actively trying to conceive (current duration sample).
The lifetime prevalence of infertility was 37.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 35.4%-40.4%) in the cohabiting sample and 29.2% (95% CI: 27.3%-31.1%) in the total sample. The period prevalence of infertility was 6.5% (95% CI: 5.1%-8.4%) in the cohabiting sample and 23.1% (95% CI: 12.1%-43.9%) in the current duration sample.

Free Research Field

社会医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、日本における25～49歳の女性を対象に、世界保健機関の定義に基づく不妊症の生涯有病率および期間有病率を推定した初の横断調査である。不妊の生涯有病率は、同居サンプルでは12か月間で37.8%、全女性サンプルでは29.2%であった。不妊の期間有病率は、同居サンプルでは直接法で6.5%、CDサンプルではCD法で23.1%であった。期間有病率は国際的な推定値と一致しているが、生涯有病率は比較的高かった。これは、不妊症に対する社会的な認識が高まっていることや日本では性交渉の頻度が低いことによるものと考えられる。