Infertility is increasing amongst Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), however the rate of access to assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and fertility services remains low within this community. The decision to access ART services is complex. For some Pacific people, ART is a foreign technology that sits in direct opposition with their religious beliefs and cultural norms. For others, ART is a blessing from God and represents a chance to start their own family – to receive the ‘gift’ of a child.
We wanted to explore the varied perspectives of Pacific people who had experienced infertility or accessed ART. Over a year, we facilitated talanoa (qualitative Pacific research method, meaning ‘mutual conversation’) with Pacific people (N=18) to understand the barriers and enablers to accessing ART services. As a Pacific research team, we were also guided by epistemological frameworks that allowed us to respond to cultural nuances in the talanoa environment.
Participants emphasised an overwhelming desire for children and this allowed them to endure tumultuous journeys through infertility. Unsurprisingly, their family and church community were central supports and enablers for ART access. However, family and religion could also be the greatest barriers to accessing ART services and contributed to feelings of isolation and fear. Clinical experiences were also highly varied which indicates a clear need for standardised and culturally-competent clinical care.
These insights allow us to identify opportunities to better engage with, and support Pacific peoples experiencing infertility and accessing ART. Given the role that Pacific health professionals play as trusted sources of information within Pacific communities, we are currently recruiting Pacific health professionals for talanoa to tease apart the challenges that Pacific peoples face in fertility care.
This research was support by a Health Research Council of New Zealand - Pacific Project Grant (23/348) awarded to ZLC and EF.