Toward Global Reproductive Justice: A Universal Framework for Evaluating Equity and Autonomy in In-Vitro Fertilization Policies

Ruoran Murphy Qiu and Renee Muthakana, graduate students at Duke University, co-authored a new study with Dr. Wenhui Mao of the Duke Global Health Institute that examines global gaps in fertility care. Originally developed as a white paper for Dr. Robyn Caplan’s Communicating Science Policy course, the project evolved into a full research study titled “Toward Global Reproductive Justice: A Universal Framework for Evaluating Equity and Autonomy in In-Vitro Fertilization Policies,” published October 31, 2025, in BMC Reproductive Health.

By analyzing IVF policies from 24 countries, the team developed the Universal IVF Justice Framework to assess how national policies promote, or restrict, equity and reproductive autonomy. The study found that access to IVF is heavily shaped by economic conditions, geography, and social norms, with significant disparities between high-income and lower-resource settings. The framework provides policymakers and researchers with a practical tool to identify and address these global inequities in fertility care.

Read the Full Paper