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Conceiving silence: infertility as discursive contradiction in Ireland
1Department of Anthropology, Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Medical Anthropology Quarterly
|April 19, 2011
Summary
Silence surrounding infertility in Ireland is perpetuated by social stigma and institutional practices. Online support networks, while seemingly open, can reinforce isolation rather than foster public discourse on reproductive challenges.
Area of Science:
- Sociology of Reproduction
- Medical Sociology
- Irish Social Studies
Background:
- Infertility is a significant reproductive health issue often shrouded in social stigma.
- Societal norms in Ireland, particularly regarding family and heteronormativity, influence reproductive discourse.
- Existing public support mechanisms for infertility may inadvertently contribute to the silence surrounding the issue.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the creation and perpetuation of silence concerning infertility in the Irish context.
- To analyze the dual role of silence in private infertility experiences and public support institutions.
- To investigate how historical, political, and cultural factors in Ireland shape the discourse on infertility.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative research employing 18 months of ethnographic fieldwork.
- Collection and analysis of personal narratives from individuals experiencing infertility.
- Examination of institutional practices and online support platforms related to infertility.
Main Results:
- Silence around infertility stems from social stigma related to reproductive failure and perceived sexual inadequacy.
- Silence serves to protect privacy but also inhibits challenges to the assumption of fertility as the norm.
- Online support networks and bulletin boards paradoxically foster dialogue within silence, leading to isolation instead of public discourse.
Conclusions:
- The reproduction of silence on infertility in Ireland is a legacy of its history, reproductive politics, and cultural emphasis on choice.
- Institutional and online spaces, intended for support, can inadvertently reinforce the isolation of individuals experiencing infertility.
- There is a need to foster open public discourse to challenge the heteronormative, profamily societal assumptions surrounding fertility.
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