Choices and motivations of infertile couples

Ambivalent Ambiguity? : A study of how women with 'atypical' sex development make sense of female embodiment

“…This, in turn, makes visible limitations of the common definition of infertility, that is, not being able to conceive after having tried to do so via sexual intercourse for at least a year (see Zegers-Hochschild et al, 2009), which matters for how infertility is understood as well as for the organization of medical care. Moreover, it is contended that while the analysis supports previous findings of how medical interventions are construed as the first option when individuals are faced with infertility (Hammons, 2008;van Balen et al, 1997), it furthermore identifies an alternative basis for this preference inasmuch as it shows that the interviewees' desire to feel what it is like to be pregnant is not primarily construed as a desire for genetic linkage (Brakman and Scholz, 2006). In focus in their infertility accounts is, rather, how pregnant embodiment becomes 'a site of relatedness-making' (Pashigian, 2009: 34) reachable through ART.…”

Explaining disparities in treatment seeking: the case of infertility

“…Because infertility treatment is expensive, it is tempting to conclude that financial availability of treatment is the key explanatory factor. This rationale is supported by the fact that nations with national health care systems report higher rates of infertility help-seeking than in the United States (e.g., 67% in Finland, 86% in The Netherlands, and 72%-95% in the United Kingdom) (41). Studies in the United States show that income and health insurance are strong predictors of treatment seeking for fertility impairment (40).…”

Who Pays? Mandated Insurance Coverage for Assisted Reproductive Technology

“…Among the other reasons for preferring ART offered by couples in van Balen's and colleagues' survey were the desire for genetically related children and concerns about cultural differences [31]. We do not consider these to be convincing ethical claims for the superiority of ART.…”

“…Yet three of the reasons given by the infertile couples surveyed by van Balen and colleagues about their preference for ART over adoption-not wanting children with behavioral problems, reluctance to fill out the paperwork adoption requires, and the fear that they will be unable to adopt successfully [31]-are misguided. Genetically related children may have behavioral problems too, and, while adoption may require paperwork, medical treatment of infertility involves a great investment of time and emotional energy, which can be just as taxing as filling out forms, if not more so.…”