Medical Family Therapy with Diverse Populations Part I: interracial Couples Navigating Infertility, Racialized Pregnancy, and Pregnancy Loss

Abstract

ABSTRACT Medical Family Therapy (MedFT) is a much-needed and growing specialization in the United States and internationally, bringing attention to the relationship between acute and chronic illness and their reciprocal impact on couple and family systems. Despite the growth of MedFT and the growing body of research affirming its effectiveness in general, there remains a need for greater research demonstrating its effectiveness with specific medical conditions, such as pregnancy-related issues, namely infertility, racialized pregnancy, and pregnancy loss. Much of the research related to these losses leaves out at least two important populations impacted by these events – interracial couples and men. In this paper, we discuss the experiences of interracial couples, generally, and men, specifically, to: (1) draw attention to unique struggles faced by interracial couples, with special attention to cisgender male (cis male) partners’ experiences, (2) describe how MedFTs utilizing a systemic, relational, BPSS focus, are well-positioned to effectively work with interracial couples experiencing infertility, racialized pregnancy, and pregnancy loss, and (3) include a case example to illustrate how a MedFT might approach working with an interracial couple experiencing these struggles. Finally, we conclude by providing clinical recommendations and practical future directions for research in the areas of infertility, racialized pregnancy, and pregnancy loss, and discuss future MedFT training needs.