Beyond the Mechanics of Infertility: Perspectives on the Social Psychology of Infertility and Involuntary Childlessness

Abstract

This paper examines the social and social psychological implications of infertility and involuntary childlessness. The clinical and popular literature on 1) the correlates and causes of infertility and 2) the social psychological consequences of infertility is examined and suggestions concerning ways that family practitioners and researchers might overcome some of the limitations of that literature are presented. Only a few researchers have attempted to determine whether there are any genetic and/or social factors which appear to be correlated with infertility. More research has been done to determine whether there are any psychogenic or social psychological factors that can be correlated with infertility. In contrast with fertile women infertile women are said to manifest high degrees of anxiety and higher neuroticism. Infertile couples are more passive dependent submissive and conforming than fertile couples. Researchers have proposed several stages which they believe constitute the socioemotional consequences of infertility. Menning has proposed the following stages: surprise denial anger isolation guilt depression grief and resolution. Future researchers should change their focus of concern from infertility to involuntary childlessness. Involuntary childlessness is essentially a social status and a social psychological condition brought about as a consequence of infertility. Another desirable shift of focus would be a deliberate move away from considering involuntary childlessness as a condition primarily affecting women to examine its impact on the couple. Another potentially beneficial shift of direction would be the deliberate avoidance of the search for possible social psychological causes of infertility. It is important to integrate conceptually the work on the social psychology of involuntary childlessness with the broader literature on the social psychology of family life.