Infertility: Disparities and Access to Services

Diagnostic testing and treatment for infertility should be available to everyone in need of these services. The disparities in rates of infertility and the barriers to accessing assisted reproductive technology services should be understood through and addressed within a reproductive justice framework. Obstetrician-gynecologists and other health care professionals should identify specific populations at risk and their accompanying barriers to access to help improve infertility care across populations. Health care professionals should ask appropriate questions about social and structural drivers of health that may influence a patient's health and use of the health care system to better understand their patients' needs and lived experiences. Obstetrician-gynecologists and other health care professionals should advocate for insurance coverage for infertility services, including assisted reproductive technology; policy changes that promote comprehensive reproductive health; and evidence-based, lower cost treatment options.