Fertility for the Black Community

Black Women and Infertility

Black women and couples often have unique fertility challenges and while infertile women and couples may benefit from assisted reproductive technology (ART) such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), there is relative underuse of such treatments by black women. A cultural emphasis on privacy, religious beliefs and cultural stigma may prohibit candid discussions of infertility and exploration of treatment options.Multiple studies show that Black women have a greater duration of infertility before seeking evaluation by a fertility specialist or undergoing treatment.

Reproductive Health

11% of reproductive aged women (6.7 million women) experience difficulties conceiving or bringing a pregnancy to term and Non-Hispanic Black women are 1.8 times more likely to have infertility than women of other races. Black women are also more likely to have blocked fallopian tubes or uterine factors such as fibroids as their primary infertility diagnosis, compared with white women. 

Black women are under-represented in IVF clinics and as a result, literature on outcomes reflects the experiences of white women. However, even when Black women attain access to ART, particularly IVF, they have a lower chance of a successful live birth and a higher risk of miscarriage compared to white women.  

Source: ASRM, Resolve: The National Infertility Association

Affording Treatment

Inability to afford ART treatment may be contributing factors to these disparities, but noneconomic barriers can also be impediments to accessing infertility treatment.  Additionally, the burden of pursuing treatment can be daunting, as patients require multiple appointments that lead to more time off work and potentially less income. 

While we will work with you choose the best treatments that fit within your budget, we also have several resources you may be able to use to make your fertility treatments more affordable. Below we’ve outlined available options that make realizing your dream of starting a family possible, including: Contracted Insurance, Financial Alternatives, and Suggested Pharmacies.

Further research is needed to determine if race/ethnicity, and associated genetics, is a determinant factor in IVF outcomes, or if correlates such as duration of infertility, socio-economic status, and cultural and behavioral differences have a larger influence on reported outcomes. Laurel Fertility Care is dedicated to providing the best fertility support and care needed to grow your dreams of having the family you want.

Let us start the conversation.  We have the resources you are looking for!

 Click Here to View Infertility In Black Women Infographic

 Infertility Support Organizations

Fertility for Colored Girls 

The Goal of Fertility for Colored Girls is to empower African American women/couples to address and resolve their issues with infertility and to inform the community of such issues by providing quality education, support, advocacy, and encouragement regarding infertility and reproductive health. The organization will offer resources that meet/satisfy individual needs to assist impacted women and their families, to enhance their fertility, gain hope, and build the families of their dreams.

 Click Here to View Fertility For Colored Girls Brochure

https://www.fertilityforcoloredgirls.org/infertility-diagnosis–testing

https://www.instagram.com/ffcghope/?hl=en

Warrior Wednesdays

Kellee Stewart created Warrior Wednesdays after choosing to freeze her eggs at the end of a seven-year relationship. During the process, she realized how little she knew about reproductive health and how little she was taught throughout her life. She asked the questions: What about the people with ovaries struggling through a cancer diagnosis? What about women with blocked fallopian tubes or undiagnosed infertility? What about miscarriages, IVF, adoption, donor eggs and sperm? And what about the women who looked like her— black women who face unconscionable health disparities and a higher maternal and infant mortality rate than our counterparts? Or the LGBTQ community who face extreme hurdles and discriminatory bias on their path to parenthood?

She channeled her frustration and sprung into action by using her platform to speak out about proactive fertility health. Warrior Wednesdays was born— a safe place where stories are told and met with compassion, love, understanding and faith. It serves as a community where no judgement lives.

Kellee hosts Warrior Wednesdays weekly on her Instagram profile, and episodes are available to watch on her website warrior-wednesdays.com

 Follow Kellee on Instagram here.

 Daughters of Hannah Support Group

Daughters of Hannah, a faith-based infertility and miscarriage support group. If you are a Black woman trying to conceive (ttc) and you are experiencing infertility, pregnancy loss, IVF, reproductive health challenges, etc., you will be supported here.

Whether you are TTC naturally, using IVF/IUI/assisted reproduction, struggling with PCOS, general fertility or reproductive health issues, male factor, endometriosis, fibroids, unexplained infertility, etc., you are welcome here. Women in our group have a variety of experiences.

You can also find Daughters of Hannah on Clubhouse & Instagram (@hannahsdaughters).

https://www.instagram.com/hannahsdaughters/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/daughtersofhannah/

 Cade Foundation

The Tinina Q Cade Foundation (Cade Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt non profit organization that was started in 2005 to provide information support and financial assistance to help needy infertile families OVERCOME infertility.

The foundation was named after founders’ (Drs Jason and Camille Hammond) mother, Dr Tinina Cade. Dr Cade carried and delivered the couple triplets following 5 years of infertility for the Hammonds. She delivered her grand triplets at 55 years old, making her the oldest woman to deliver triplets at that point.

The Hammonds started the Cade Foundation to provide a vehicle through which families who had already “overcome” infertility could support families who were still on the infertility journey. Cade Foundation provides education focused programs to share info about different pathways to parenthood throughout the nation. We also provide grants to help families with the costs of adoption and fertility treatment. To date, the Cade Foundation has hosted hundreds of outreach staffs throughout the US and provided 121 families with financial support for adoption and fertility treatment nationwide. There are currently 89 Cade Foundationbabies!

Learn more: https://cadefoundation.org/

https://www.instagram.com/cadefoundation/?hl=en

Black Mamas Matter Alliance

BMMA is a Black women led cross-sectoral alliance.  We center Black mamas to advocate, drive research, build power, and shift cultuer for Black maternal health, rights and justice.

The Black Mamas Matter Alliance was sparked by a partnership project between the Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) and SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective (SisterSong) that began in 2013. The two organizations collaborated on story collection on the obstacles that Southern Black women face in accessing maternal health care, leading to poor maternal health outcomes and persistent racial disparities. These findings were included in a joint report – “Reproductive Injustice: Gender and Racial Discrimination in U.S. Health Care” – submitted to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD).

Monica Simpson of SisterSong, Katrina Anderson of CRR, and Elizabeth Dawes Gay co-organized a convening in Atlanta in June 2015 that brought together experts, activists, and stakeholders from a variety of sectors who were concerned about Black maternal health. “Black Mamas Matter” was an outcome of this meeting, along with a call to action to produce toolkits for activists in the South working to improve maternal health.

Learn more: https://blackmamasmatter.org/about/

https://www.instagram.com/blackmamasmatter/?hl=en

Learn more about your options by scheduling a consultation with one of our providers.