title: Ethnicity or environment: effects of migration on ovarian reserve among Bangladeshi women in the United Kingdom.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether the quality of early childhood environments among different groups of Bangladeshi women, including migrants to the United Kingdom (UK), contributes to variation in ovarian reserve and the rate of reproductive aging in later life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 179 healthy women volunteers aged 35-59 years were divided into four groups: [1] 36 Bangladeshis living in Sylhet, Bangladesh; [2] 53 Bangladeshis who migrated to the UK as adults; [3] 40 Bangladeshis who migrated to the UK as children aged 0-16 years; and [4] a reference group of 50 women of European origin living in London.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of serum antimüllerian hormone, inhibin B, FSH, and E2, and anthropometrics derived from biomarkers; reproductive, demographic, and health variables from structured questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bangladeshi migrants who moved to the UK as children and European women had a highly significantly larger, age-related ovarian reserve compared with migrant Bangladeshis who had moved to the UK as adults or Bangladeshi women still living in Bangladesh. There were no other significant covariates in the model aside from age and menopausal status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study points to the importance of childhood development in considering variation in ovarian reserve across different ethnic groups. Clinical studies and research in assisted reproductive technology have emphasized the role of genes or race in determining inter-population variation in ovarian reserve. Early life developmental factors should be given due consideration when evaluating inter-group differences in response to assisted reproductive technology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Khurshida
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Begum
authors.affiliation: Anu Research Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland.
authors.forename: Shanthi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muttukrishna
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Lynnette Leidy
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Sievert
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Taniya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sharmeen
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Lorna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: M.A.G. Osmani Medical College, Sylhet, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Osul
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Adetayo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasim
authors.affiliation: Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gunu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology and Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom. Electronic address: g.r.bentley@durham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Gillian R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Bentley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D044466:Asian People; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000208:ethnology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D065851:Ovarian Reserve; D060728:Reproductive Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health / Q000208:ethnology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006728:Hormones
keywords: Bangladeshis; environment; ethnicity; migration; ovarian reserve