Psychology

The transition from infertility to adoption: Perceptions of lesbian and heterosexual couples

Document Type

Article

Abstract

This study explores how lesbian and heterosexual pre-adoptive couples experience and construct the transition from infertility to adoption as a means to becoming parents. Thirty lesbian couples and 30 heterosexual couples were interviewed about the challenges and benefits they perceived in attempting conception and then later choosing adoption. Although similarities in perspectives emerged between heterosexual and lesbian participants (e.g., regarding the factors that led couples to pursue adoption), lesbians often felt less committed to having a biological child and perceived an easier transition from trying to conceive to adopting. Findings support the notion that, due to their unique relational context, lesbian women may embody more expansive notions about how to create a family that are not predicated on biological relations. © The Author(s), 2009.

Publication Title

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

Publication Date

9-1-2009

Volume

26

Issue

6-7

First Page

938

Last Page

963

ISSN

0265-4075

DOI

10.1177/0265407509345652

Keywords

adoption, infertility, lesbian, parenthood, qualitative, social constructionist, transition

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS