Reshaped Parenthood Identity

Abstract

Infertility is problematic, as it blocks the expected transition to parenthood and forces a reevaluation of its meaning. Couples who remain infertile over time must choose between remaining childless or pursuing parenthood through some other means. For those whose parenthood identity continues to be salient (Stryker, 1980), adoption becomes an alternative route for achieving this identity. Becoming an adoptive parent for this reason can be viewed as a transformation of identity. This shift in identity occurs as a result of certain “turning points” or “critical incidents” (Strauss, 1959) that signalize new evaluations of self. Based on participant observation and semistructured interviews, in this article I describe and analyze the events of this identity transformation process as they occur in three stages: the assumption of fertility and the expectations for biological parenthood; the realization that biological parenthood may be problematic; and identification with adoptive parenthood.