Thesis (M.A.)--University of Alberta, 1997. / Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, Department of Sociology. Also available online.

Partners play a critical role in making decisions about fertility preservation among young patients with cancer, yet little is known about these dyadic decisions when planning cancer treatment. Fertility preservation entails helping cancer patients preserve fertility after cancer treatment. This qualitative study investigated: 1) Heterosexual couples' responses to potential fertility loss; 2) their process in making fertility preservation decisions; 3) their ethical and legal concerns, and 4) recommendations for other couples undergoing similar treatment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 heterosexual couples whose female partners were diagnosed with cancer and had received fertility preservation consultations within the past 5 years. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using grounded theory methods. The results indicated that couples have varied reactions to infertility. In most, spouses let the patients take the lead in, and supported, their fertility preservation decisions. Spouses recommended support to patients. Couples face challenges in making fertility preservation decisions. Input from, and support for, both partners is essential to ensure well-informed, high-quality fertility preservation decisions.

This thesis explores how fertility clinics engage in various textual and visual strategies to locate nature and kinship in the context of the assisted conception technologies they offer. In particular, competing paradigms of modern technology solving problems of the body versus the “naturalness” of having a baby means that fertility clinics must mobilize particular understandings of nature and technology to bridge this gap. Additionally, fertility clinics draw upon culturally meaningful themes such as “birds and bees” to structure relationships among assisted conception technology participants. I argue that fertility clinic websites are public sites of discourse through which clinics both attempt to attract potential clients and shape understanding of assisted conception technology by offering particular explanations as real and natural.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1974. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography : leaves 208-223.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p.137-143).