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Cited by 133Reproductive Health and TechnologiesHistorical Studies on Reproduction, Gender, Health, and Societal ChangesMedicine, History, and Philosophy

Eager for medicalisation: the social production of infertility as a disease

Becker, Gay, Nachtigall, Robert D.·1992·Sociology of Health & Illness
DOI 10.1111/1467-9566.ep10493093
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Abstract

The social and cultural basis of medicalisation is explored through an examination of infertility, a social condition that has recently been recast as a disease. Infertility illustrates a basic dilemma of medicalisation: the health care system reflects the same value system at work throughout society. Placing social problems within a biomedical framework does not provide a satisfactory solution for conditions that deviate from cultural norms because those norms are replicated in biomedical ideologies about the nature and treatment of disease. We examine three phases of this dilemma through an analysis of data collected in in‐depth interviews with 43 American couples who were undergoing infertility treatment: 1) the disparity between initial expectations about ease and speed of treatment and its actual complexity, 2) the confrontation with medical definitions of abnormality, and 3) the cumulative effects of treatment, in which emotional exhaustion from infertility treatment vies with the continuing need to ‘fix’ the infertility and produce a pregnancy. We conclude that individuals' efforts to eradicate feelings of abnormality for their childlessness by lending medical legitimacy to their failure to conceive are undermined by entering a medical system in which concepts of disease and abnormality are implicit.

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Crossref · 10.1111/1467-9566.ep10493093

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  • Emotional exhaustion and burnout are common features of infertility, resulting from chronic exposure to emotional ups and downs.

    “Emotional exhaustion and burnout have also been reported as a common feature of infertility, resulting from the chronic exposure to the emotional ups and downs of infertility.26 29”

    From Infertility-related distress and clinical targets for psychotherapy: A qualitative study (2021) · cites this paper as [26]

  • Previous studies have reported narrowed focus on infertility and excessive information seeking as behavioural features of anxiety.

    “A few studies have also reported on women’s narrowed focus on infertility to the exclusion of other activities, as well as excessive information seeking as behavioural features of anxiety.24–26”

    From Infertility-related distress and clinical targets for psychotherapy: A qualitative study (2021) · cites this paper as [26]

  • Previous reports show women's view of themselves and future identities are challenged by infertility, leading to role loss/failure and negative self-perception.

    “The third theme—threat to self-esteem, identity and purpose—is somewhat similar to previous reports that women’s view of themselves and their future identities are challenged by infertility, leading to feelings of role loss or role failure and the development of a negative self-perception.6 26 27”

    From Infertility-related distress and clinical targets for psychotherapy: A qualitative study (2021) · cites this paper as [26]

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Authors
Becker, G., & Nachtigall, R. D.
Affiliations
University of California, San Francisco (US)
Venue
Sociology of Health & Illness
Publisher
Wiley
Published
1992-12
Volume
14
Issue
4
Pages
456-471
ISSN
  • 0141-9889 (ISSN-L)
  • 1467-9566
DOI
10.1111/1467-9566.ep10493093
OpenAlex
W2014967909
Cited by
133
References
44
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 8
FWCI
0.77
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 5688 d)
Locations
Sociology of Health & Illness (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Aging
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Reproductive Health and Technologies
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History › Historical Studies on Reproduction, Gender, Health, and Societal Changes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Medicine, History, and Philosophy
Keywords
infertility, medicalization, social construction of illness, abnormality, childlessness, infertility treatment, emotional exhaustion, couples, pregnancy, medical legitimacy

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