Dialogues in Infertility: Exploring the Potential for Psychological Adaptation

The objective of this paper is to detail the process of psychological adaptation for a woman navigating the world after a diagnosis of age-related infertility. Infertility is a medical condition, but it occurs within a social and cultural context, thereby creating social and psychological dimensions. Discrepancies between a woman's fertility ideals and her reality may be related to both personal preferences and contributing social factors. The discussion will be based on longitudinally collected interview data. Drawing on the Dialogical Self Theory, the paper will focus on intra-psychological dynamics (dialogues) and will analyze the adaptation process in terms of I-positions. Based on idiographic analyses the conclusion is that adaptation takes place by taking subjective personal control over the uncertainty of infertility. By integrating new I-position into intra-personal phenomena, the core "I" will be united with new qualities and is seen as an authentic elaboration resulting from the formation of personal, subjective meaning in a uniquely personal developmental trajectory.