Social workers are increasingly being called upon to work with clients who wish to have a child but are unable to do so without medical intervention. This study, a cross-sectional survey design, examines the attitudes of couples towards donor insemination (DI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), contractual pregnancy, adoption and living child free. A random sample of 200 names was drawn from the membership of the Infertility Awareness Association of Canada, Toronto Chapter. Surveys were completed by 74 participants (37 couples). Participants were generally well educated, affluent and ranged in age from 26 to 63 years. Women were one third more likely to report feeling pressure to have children than were men. The source of this pressure was most often reported to be external/interpersonal relationships (e.g., friends, family, partner). Women were significantly more likely to strongly agree that they would use DI or IVF if they were infertile; whereas, men were more likely to only agree when considering DI, and to be unsure or neutral when considering IVF. The possibility of living child free was an alternative that very few participants had seriously considered, as many were still pursuing one or more reproductive alternative. Although significant differences were found within couples for DI, IVF and living child free in the vignettes, unexpectedly an overall theme of agreement between women and men was found as well. In addition, participants revealed a desire for support in their consideration of, and decision making regarding, the reproductive alternatives they may pursue. Clearly, the findings point to the need participants have to receive counselling, and/or follow-up to help them cope with their infertility and the possibility that they may not be able to have children.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.23446 |
| Date | January 1996 |
| Creators | Ross, Dianne May. |
| Contributors | Cumming-Speirs, Carol (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Social Work (School of Social Work.) |
| Rights | © Dianne May Ross, 1996 |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001538343, proquestno: MM19701, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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