Reproductive justice, a term coined by Loretta Ross, means the right for women not to have children, and the right for women to have children. Inspired by Loretta Ross’ term, I will examine how women’s right to have children may be violated. In my study, I center black women with infertility in the United States and compare their rates of infertility to the rates of infertility among white women. While there are many causes for infertility, health disparities in the United States are contributing to black women experiencing infertility at more than twice the rate of white women. Women of color have higher rates of infertility and this is not simply a biological cause; various factors are reinforcing this disparity. The factors I focus on are: social and cultural aspects, socioeconomic status, and the medical issues.
