Perceptions of the Black population on fertility care: A scoping review

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART), such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), offer hope for people struggling with infertility. Studies demonstrate that disparities in access and experiences with fertility care exist among different racial groups, particularly affecting Black women. This scoping review aims to explore Black women’s perceptions of fertility care and psychosocial barriers that they encounter when accessing care. This scoping review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Checklist. Three databases including OVID Medline, PubMed, and Embase, were searched using keywords that resulted in 12 studies that explored barriers to fertility care for Black women. Identified barriers included discrimination, lack of knowledge, and a lack of cultural sensitivity among physicians. The financial cost of treatment was the most frequently reported barrier to infertility treatment. Identified facilitators to infertility treatment included a thorough understanding of the treatment plan and procedures, culturally competent providers, and fertility counseling for patients including education on existing insurance coverage for infertility treatments. Recognizing disparities in IVF outcomes, and identifying both barriers and facilitators to treatment, is an essential first step toward improving fertility care outcomes.