“We Could Use That to Help Our Community”: Black Women’s Motivations and Recommendations for Improving Engagement in Fertility Research

Black women experience disproportionately high infertility rates yet remain underrepresented in fertility research. To understand factors that strengthen inclusion, we conducted focus groups in 2023 with 19 Black women aged 26 44 who were considering or actively trying to conceive. Rapidqualitative analysis identified three themes: representation as a catalyst for engagement, fertility knowledge as power, and participation as collective responsibility. Participants viewed research as empowering and beneficial to their communities. They recommended transparent communication, trusted community partnerships, check-ins, study updates, findings, and appreciation for contributions. Meaningful inclusion requires culturally relevant, reciprocal, relationship-centered approaches that build trust and avoid transactional recruitment.