Barriers to Achieving Reproductive Justice for an Indigenous Gulf Coast Tribe

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Indigenous Studies
• Sociology

Background:

• Reproductive justice is a key framework for understanding women's health.
• Little research exists on reproductive justice for Indigenous state-recognized tribes outside the Indian Health Service system.
• Factors impacting women's reproductive goal achievement remain underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore reproductive justice experiences among women in a Gulf Coast Indigenous state-recognized tribe.
• To identify barriers these women face in achieving their reproductive desires.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive research methodology.
• Semi-structured life-history interviews with female tribal members.
• Exploration of family planning desires, goals, and experienced barriers.

Main Results:

• High prevalence of hysterectomy or sterilization reported.
• Common experiences with infertility identified.
• High frequency of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) or Endometriosis noted.

Conclusions:

• Indigenous women in this study encounter multiple barriers to achieving reproductive justice.
• Findings highlight reproductive injustices impacting family planning goals.
• Results contextualize national trends and emphasize unique challenges for non-federally recognized tribes.