Bias in Reproductive Medicine

Throughout United States history, the reproductive capacity of members of groups seen as desirable has been prized and fostered. In contrast, the desire and capacity of members of marginalized groups to parent have often been ignored, compromised, or medically or legally eliminated. This chapter reviews the historical and current biases that exist in reproductive medicine, with an emphasis on disparities in sex education, access to reproductive and infertility care, contraception, and coerced or forced sterilization. Although its focus is on Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ patients and patients with disabilities, the inequities discussed are common to the experiences of many marginalized groups in reproductive healthcare. Intersectionality, the condition of holding multiple marginalized identities, makes it increasingly likely that patients’ reproductive needs and desires will be impacted by a medical and legal system that questions their right to parenthood. The authors review key findings on experiences of reproductive healthcare for marginalized patients and highlight key legal cases that illustrate the inequities in the reproductive lives of members of these groups.