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Whose choice is it anyway? Decision making, control and conception.

Sarah Earle1, Gayle Letherby

  • 1University College Northampton, Northampton, UK.

Human Fertility (Cambridge, England)
|June 26, 2002
PubMed
Summary
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Women expect to control fertility, but societal pressures and biological realities often make conception difficult. This study reveals that the perceived control over reproductive experiences is frequently an illusion for many.

Area of Science:

  • Sociology
  • Reproductive Health
  • Gender Studies

Background:

  • Modern societies expect women to control fertility.
  • Medical advancements and contraception availability reinforce this expectation.
  • A dominant discourse assumes women desire and achieve biological motherhood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine women's experiences with fertility control.
  • To investigate the gap between expectations and reality of reproductive choice.
  • To analyze the influence of societal discourse on women's fertility experiences.

Main Methods:

  • Qualitative sociological research.
  • Analysis of data from two distinct research projects.
  • Examination of women's narratives on fertility and conception.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Women's expectations of reproductive choice and control are not always met.
  • Many women actively attempt conception, expecting it to be easy and controllable.
  • Achieving conception is often problematic or impossible for numerous women.

Conclusions:

  • Societal expectations of fertility control may not align with lived experiences.
  • The desire for biological motherhood can mask underlying difficulties in conception.
  • Women's perceived control over fertility is often an illusion, despite their wishes.