In Search of Parenthood

Judith N. Lasker is a Professor I the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Lehigh University.

Preface to New Edition Acknowledgments Introduction Part I: The Trauma of Infertility 1. The Drive to Have Children Personal and Social Pressures * Why Not Adopt? * The Pressure to Keep Trying 2. Feelings of Grief The Grief Process * Grief with Secondary Infertility and Pregnancy Loss * Resolution Part II: The Methods 3. Artificial Insemination AIH and AID: Responses to Infertility * The Donor * An Experience of Donor Insemination * Keeping AID Secret * Single heterosexual and Lesbian Women 4. In VitroFertilization Success Rates * An Experience of IVF * The Risks of IVF 5. Surrogacy An Experience with Surrogacy * Screening Couples and Surrogate Mothers * The Relationship Between Surrogate Mother and Couple * Problems with Surrogacy 6. The Rise and Fall of Ovum Transfer: A Cautionary Tale Ovum Transfer as an Infertility Treatment * The Commercialization of Ovum Transfer * The Fall of OT * Ovum Transfer for Prenatal Diagnosis Part III: Significant Others 7. Donors and Surrogate Mothers * Who Becomes a Donor or Surrogate Mother? * The Ideal Donor, the Ideal Surrogate Mother * Finding One's Own Donor * Risks for Egg Donors and Surrogate Mothers * Risks for Sperm Donors * Donors and Recipients 8. The Professionals Professionals and Their Motives * The Power of Professionals * Meeting the Needs of Clients * Stresses on Professionals Part IV: Effects on the Family 9. The Couple Stresses on the Couple * Men and Women: Different Responses * Inequalities * Effects of Stress 10. High-Tech Children Special Problems for the Children * The Search * The Child's Relationship to the Donor or Surrogate Mother * Telling the Child * Single Heterosexual and Gay Parents * The Family 11. Reactions of Others Responses of Friends and Family * Public Responses * Reasons for Disapproval * Groups in Opposition * Coping with Disapproval Conclusion Scenarios for the Future * What Should Be Done? Notes Index