More Asian people opting into IVF treatment doesn’t mean that more Asian people are getting pregnant. Why? Not only is IVF not designed with Asian bodies in mind, but we also have genetic, environmental, and cultural factors impacting us--whether we know it or not. When tapping into in vitro fertilization, East and South Asians specifically find longer wait times, more expensive bills, and a higher risk of treatment not working. They report that the monolithic treatment of Asians includes microaggressions, and no consideration of ethnicity or language–which ultimately makes them distrust the physician and medical system. On top of that, Asian bodies do some things differently, including how we metabolize estrogen. And our diets may have more methylmercury, a known reproductive toxin seen commonly in fish. So when we know we’re genetically and environmentally predisposed to infertility, and that our cultures don’t necessarily give us permission to seek fertility support out, the need for normalizing this conversation becomes even more urgent.
More Asian people opting into IVF treatment doesn’t mean that more Asian people are getting pregnant. Why? Not only is IVF not designed with Asian bodies in mind, but we also have genetic, environmental, and cultural factors impacting us--whether we know it or not. When tapping into in vitro fertilization, East and South Asians specifically find longer wait times, more expensive bills, and a higher risk of treatment not working. They report that the monolithic treatment of Asians includes microaggressions, and no consideration of ethnicity or language–which ultimately makes them distrust the physician and medical system. On top of that, Asian bodies do some things differently, including how we metabolize estrogen. And our diets may have more methylmercury, a known reproductive toxin seen commonly in fish. So when we know we’re genetically and environmentally predisposed to infertility, and that our cultures don’t necessarily give us permission to seek fertility support out, the need for normalizing this conversation becomes even more urgent.