Constructions of “Infertility” and Some Lived Experiences of Involuntary Childlessness

Abstract

This article draws on data from a feminist, qualitative social work research project on women’s experiences of involuntary childlessness in the context of assisted reproduction. It argues that the dominant construction of “infertility” is partial, biased, and inaccurate and that it serves to maintain infertility as a “woman’s problem” to be addressed ideally via biomedicine and individualized approaches to the delivery of services. With reference to the background literature, women’s lived experiences of involuntary childlessness are explored. An alternative, multidimensional construction of involuntary childlessness is proposed and implications for social work in reproductive health and directions for further research are presented.