Sexual and gender minority peoples' recommendations for assisted human reproduction services

To determine what recommendations lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ) people have for provision of assisted human reproduction (AHR) services to their communities.

Using a semi-structured guide, we interviewed a purposeful sample of 66 LGBTQ-identified individuals from across the province of Ontario who had used or had considered using AHR services since 2007.

Participants were predominantly cisgender (non-trans), white, same-sex partnered, urban women with relatively high levels of education and income. Participants made recommendations for changes to the following aspects of AHR service provision: (1) access to LGBTQ-relevant information, (2) adoption of patient-centred practices by AHR service providers, (3) training and education of service providers regarding LGBTQ issues and needs, (4) increased visibility of LGBTQ people in clinic environments, and (5) attention to service gaps of particular concern to LGBTQ people.

Many of the recommendations made by study participants show how patient-centred models may address inequities in service delivery for LGBTQ people and for other patients who may have particular AHR service needs. Our results suggest that service providers need education to enact these patient-centred practices and to deliver equitable care to LGBTQ patients.