This Is Infertility

Nothing makes you feel more deflated, angry, and misunderstood than when someone tells you to ‘just relax.’ This reaction can be expected in many situations, especially from someone who is struggling with building their family.   In this episode, Bethany Johnson discusses her experience with infertility and how women have historically been blamed for "barrenness.” Over time, this blame has trickled down through generations, lingering in the language we use to discuss women’s health and consistently disregarding how male factor infertility contributes 30% to 40% of the time. Bethany and her colleague, Margaret Quinlan, took this historical context and applied it to the modern phrases and attitudes society has normalized surrounding a woman’s life. They co-authored the book, You're Doing it Wrong! Mothering, Media, and Medical Expertise, to educate others on the constant barraging of unsolicited advice the world seems to dump on motherhood constantly.   As Dr. Georgia Witkin taught us last episode, there’s