Sophie's choice: A metaphor for infertility

Abstract

“Sophie's choice”; provides a useful metaphor for understanding the continuing plight of the infertile. Infertile couples are increasingly viewed not only as choosing controversial medical treatments to cure their infertility, but also as having chosen the dysfunction itself. A combination of factors, including heightened expectations for reproductive control, the association between infertility and women's and sexual liberation, and medical needs for patients, account for the reconstruction of infertility as a disorder associated with freedom and choice. The changing context of infertility and changing perspectives on its causes and treatment are reviewed.