At SGF, we are dedicated to helping all patients create families. Recent research on racial and ethnic disparities can help increase awareness of infertility in the Black community and provide better access to fertility care for Black women. We talked with Dr. Jerrine Morris about racial disparities in fertility care and ways to better serve the Black infertility community.
“I became a doctor to help and advocate for underserved populations,” shares Dr. Morris. “Providing resources and information to patients is one of the ways we can better serve the Black community to help overcome stigmas surrounding infertility and to encourage seeking treatment sooner, which leads to better outcomes for patients.”
What to know about racial disparities in fertility care
Black women have similar infertility rates than white women but use fertility services at only half the rate, according to recent research. Socioeconomic factors play a large role in this disparity. Even when patients have access to fertility care, Black women discontinue fertility treatments at higher rates than other patients. Additionally, even after undergoing fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), Black women have lower clinical pregnancy and live birth rates compared with white women even after controlling for various factors.1
In an award-winning study, SGF researchers found that Black patients respond just as well to medications that stimulate egg production, produce as many eggs, and produce more good-quality embryos than white patients. However, Black women had lower pregnancy rates, higher clinical pregnancy loss, and lower live birth rates. 2 While factors such as uterine fibroids have been suggested to influence this disparity, implicit biases in referral patterns and treatment pursued faced by women of color also influence the worse success rates experienced by Black women. Given this insight, patients should not wait to seek help when experiencing infertility or recurrent miscarriage.
It is essential to recognize and understand that racial disparities exist in fertility care so that we can best support our patients. SGF is dedicated to continuing research on racial and ethnic disparities and providing better access to fertility care for Black women through providing resources and support for our patients.
Four tips for Black women navigating fertility care
1. Seek fertility care sooner
Age is the number one indicator of female fertility. Stigmas surrounding infertility or hyperfertility in the Black community, lack of trust in medical professionals, or other factors could play a role in why Black women delay seeking fertility treatment. By seeking treatment at an earlier age, patients can help maximize their chances of successful fertility treatment. We understand there can be hesitation in taking the first steps to making an appointment, but our SGF care team is dedicated to listening along the way to make sure you are heard, and your family-building goals are achieved.
2. Address pre-existing medical conditions that disproportionately affect Black women
Black women are more likely to have certain kinds of infertility than women of other ethnic groups. Many of the issues facing Black women are medical, such as uterine fibroids, blocked Fallopian tubes, obesity, and advanced age, specifically for women over age 35. By maintaining regular OB/GYN appointments and treating these conditions, as well as presenting sooner for care, Black women can improve their fertility health.
3. Use SGF’s information resources and support systems
SGF’s dynamic resource library was designed with patients in mind. It allows users to search, filter, and view approximately 2,000 educational and support resources, all in one place, to aid patients along every stage of their family-building journeys.
SGF also provides free educational fertility events and support groups for those ready to learn more about their reproductive health and find community. For more information on SGF’s Calendar of Events and Support Groups see our Events page.
4. Learn about your insurance coverage and SGF’s financial programs and grants
SGF participates with many insurance plans and offers innovative financial programs and discounts to make fertility treatment more affordable. Approximately 70% of SGF patients have some coverage for infertility treatment and 90% have coverage for their initial consultation.
For those who do not have insurance coverage, SGF offers the following financial programs and discounts:
- Shared Help Discount Program, an income-based program
- Military Discounts
- Medication Discount Program
Medical contribution by Jerrine R. Morris, M.D., M.P.H.
Jerrine R. Morris, M.D., M.P.H., is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI). Dr. Morris earned her medical degree at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in Richmond, Virginia.
- Jackson-Bey, T., Morris, J., Jasper, E., Velez Edwards, DR., Thornton, K., Richard-Davis, G., Plowden, T. (2012) “Systematic Review of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility: Where Do We Stand Today?” Fertility and Sterility Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xfnr.2021.05.001.
- Bishop, L. A., Devine, K., Sasson, I. E., Plowden, T., Hill, M. J., DeCherney, A. H., Richter, K. (2018). African American patients experience reduced pregnancy, higher pregnancy loss, and lower live birth from IVF embryo transfers despite producing more oocytes and more transfer quality embryos than Caucasian patients. Fertility and Sterility, Volume 110, Issue 4, e6.
