MISSED CONNECTIONS

Grief and Loss Support groups for males,

females and couples

SENSITIVE STUDIES

Insight into couples

thoughts and feelings

with infertility and grief.

Focus is on healing with

other couples and finding

resources

In Egypt, for example, few men in my study were willing to tell anyone, including their closest family members, that they suffered from male infertility. Male infertility was described variously as an “embarrassing,” “sensitive,” and "private” subject for the Egyptian male, who would necessarily feelana mishraagil—“I am not a man”

If others were to know that he was the cause of a given infertility problem. Because of the association between male infertility and manhood, men’s wives were generally expected to participate in a two-person cult of silence regarding the male infertility, which usually meant that women should be the blame for the infertility in public. When women were questioned (as is often the case in Egypt) about the source of the childlessness, most told others that there was “nothing wrong” with either partner and that the matter was "up to God.”

Sometimes, women suggested to their acquaintances that they themselves were seeking treatment for the infertility. Women often explained that they “covered” for their husbands out of love and loyalty. However, some women also said that they feared the potential familial and marital consequences of exposing their husbands’ secrets (Inhorn 2003a).

SPENDING TIME HEALING

Internet Meetings and

Counseling

Gathering sites in the

community for couples

suffering grief & loss

are important to the

process of moving

forward

COUPLES NEED SUPPORT

Ride_The_Sea.mp3

“YOU ARE NOT ALONE”

C

an I see another’s woe, and not be in sorrow too? Can

I see another’s grief, and not seek for kind relief?

William Blake

GREG’S PERSPECTIVE

Men need to talk about it, too..url

INTERNET CONNECTIONS

http://www.dailystrength.org/people/

489469/photos-videos

http://forums.fertilitycommunity.com/

Mothers who adopt as single parents/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pdxadoptings

ingles/

FORUM/CATEGORIES

I

nfertility-internet connections with others on line daily

M

ale and Female support is important to the grief process when

couples are dealing with infertility and/ or adoption afterward

O

pen discussions on internet and local or statewide meetings

for couples and singles trying to find answers and help!

WEB SITE RESOURCES

h

ttp://www.thelightbeyond.com/

how_to_console_a_grieving_friend. html

h

ttp://www.resolve.org/http

h

ttp://www.adoptioncounselingservices.com/index.html

REASONS TO SUPPORT

Infertility and adoption issuesInfertility and adoption issues Males and Females/Couples or singlesMales and Females/Couples or singles

h

ttp://

www.postadoptionfamily.

com/index.php?

page=adoption-

counseling-news

O

verwhelming

S

tressful and foggy existence

M

ale stigma (loss of support)

F

emale stigma (fitting into the parent role)

D

istance from relationships together and

with other couples/parents

A

merican Society for

Reproductive Medicine

1209 Montgomery Highway

Birmingham , AL 35216-2809

Phone: 1- 205 - 978-5000

Web Address:

http://www.asrm.org

R

ESOLVE The National

Infertility Association

1760 Old Meadow Rd, Ste 500

McLean , VA 22102

Phone: 1- 703 - 556-7172

Web Address:

www.resolve.org

INFORMATION /RESEARCH

American Society Resolve

INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL

I

nternational Council on Infertility Information Dissemination

P.O. Box 6836

Arlington , VA 22206

Phone: 1- 703 - 379-9178

Web Address: http://www.inciid.org

S

ome of the websites are information gathered by chat groups on line at

support sites. Personal experiences and daily connections with internet

GAINING CONNECTIONS

RESOURCES

I

nhorn, C. M., (2004). Middle Eastern Masculinities

in the Age of New technologies: Male infertility

and Stigma in Egypt and Lebanon. Medical

Anthropology Quarterly, 18, (2), 162-182.

EDITED BY:

SHANNON EASTER

KELLEY and NINJA

JAMES KELLEY

2/25/2012

SASS: 505.

Adoption Practice

and Policy