cover image Not Yet Pregnant: Infertile Couples in Contemporary America

Not Yet Pregnant: Infertile Couples in Contemporary America

Larry L. Greil, Arthur L. Greil. Rutgers University Press, $40 (243pp) ISBN 978-0-8135-1682-0

Greil, a sociologist and member of an infertile couple, offers a readable and revealing text that could prove useful to infertile couples as well as to those who support them, including counselors, health care workers and friends. His data come from other writings on the subject, health history questionnaires and taped interviews with 22 white, affluent couples. One of Greil's themes is the ``medicalization'' of infertility and its increasingly frequent depiction and treatment as a chronic illness. He notes that while husbands may view the situation as disappointing, wives tend to see it as devastating and as something that permeates their lives. He finds that infertility often increases tension in a relationship but, paradoxically, can lead to greater closeness. Ultimately one of the book's most conspicuous advantages is also one of its drawbacks: Greil's own experiences with infertility undoubtedly make him sensitive to the issues. However, since he does not discuss those experiences, one can only surmise when they influence his conclusions--for example, when he asserts that legislation should require insurance companies to pay for infertility treatments. (Aug.)