Exploring Muslim Communities' Experiences and Barriers While Accessing Assisted Reproductive Technologies: A Scoping Review of International Literature.

Abstract

This study adopted a scoping review methodology to analyze international literature on the barriers impacting Muslim couples' access to equitable assisted reproductive technologies (ART). A total of 27 studies were included for review. Results show that Muslim communities face several barriers when accessing ART. These include cultural and religious barriers that impacted which aspects of ART couples were open to adopting, diminished quality of care due to low cultural/religious capacity of practitioners, as well as gendered norms which intersect with experiences of ART treatments. Further research, based in western countries, should be conducted to better understand how these contexts can support Muslim patients accessing ART.