Black women experiencing infertility are less likely than other women to have successful live birth outcomes following fertility treatment, according to a new study from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
In an examination of data from the World Health Organization, the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and U.S. birth certificates, the authors found 12 percent of U.S. women aged 20 to 44 self-reported infertility between 2013 and 2020. Only 39 percent of these women had access to any kind of fertility treatment. Among those who did receive treatment, only 10 percent had a successful live birth.
While live birth outcomes were low among all women in the study, the authors uncovered significant racial disparities among women whose fertility treatment was successful. Following fertility treatment, Asian and White women were the most likely groups to experience a successful live birth, at 17 percent and 13 percent, respectively. For Hispanic and Black women who received fertility treatment, only 4 percent and 3 percent, respectively, had a successful live birth.
According to the authors, these striking disparities highlight an urgent need for health systems and policymakers to implement interventions targeted at providing equitable access to fertility care for all women.
