Motherhood Prioritized
over Career for Women undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
Lall Seema
Advances In Management; Vol. 17(2); 7-15;
doi: https://doi.org/10.25303/1702aim07015; (2024)
Abstract
The recent advancement in reproductive technology has provided newer opportunities
to conceive naturally through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), which entails
financial and emotional costs as well as complications. The choice to opt for ART
involves complex processes which not only involve the couple but also their families,
social structure and cultural norms. In many cultures including India, having one’s
biological child is given prime importance due to the social, religious and cultural
norms associated with the notion of motherhood and parenthood. In such a scenario,
giving birth to a progeny becomes the obvious next stage post marriage for a woman.
The social aspect of complete womanhood being achieved by birthing a child takes
precedence in the married woman’s life at the expense of her career and productivity.
This study tries to understand how the pursuance of a professional career gets affected
while opting for ART, role of spousal support and family support in pursuance of
a professional career while pursuing ART and how fertility choices of women affect
their contribution to the labour market as they prioritize reproductive labour over
career.
