“What's wrong with me?”: Women's perceptions of gendered infertility stigma

Fertility is highly valued within most societies, and many people will want children at some point within their life. However, infertility, or the inability to become pregnant within one year, is common and is associated with a host of negative health and social outcomes. The interaction between gender and infertility related stigma plays a meaningful role in producing these negative outcomes. We conducted 17 interviews and 17 focus groups with 65 women aged 18–35 years on fertility and reproductive decision-making in 2022. We focused on these topics broadly and most participants had not (yet) experienced infertility. We coded transcripts using thematic and inductive methods. In a second stage of analysis, we explored sub-themes related to how gendered infertility stigma is produced and reinforced through: 1) prescribed gender roles, 2) responsibility and blame, and 3) perceptions of infertility as a failure of the female body. Women felt that they were held responsible for fertility and blamed for infertility. Many also felt that infertility threatened prescribed gender roles and desired life plans if they wanted to become a mother. Participants saw pregnancy as something the body was supposed to achieve easily, and infertility was seen as a failure. Gender norms, expectations, and infertility related stigma were inextricably linked. Participants were impacted by stigma, even while distancing themselves from stigmatizing beliefs that they perceived others held about infertility. Those without infertility, but who may feel vulnerable to experiencing infertility, offer unique insight into how gendered infertility stigma is produced and reinforced within society.