著者

丸山 マサ美

出版者

日本医学哲学・倫理学会

雑誌

医学哲学 医学倫理 (ISSN:02896427)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.15, pp.26-32, 1997-09-20 (Released:2018-02-01)

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This study analyses private papers written by women who underwent sterilization treatment. First a comparison is made with the model of E.Suchman who pointed out "illness behavior" and "stages of illness". How big is the pain of infertility as a result of the enormous stigma attached to the inability of giving birth to one's own child? The sense of desperation is followed by hope-and then desperation again and again. Why are children of any value? Because of a particular passionate desire of caring for and nurturing children? The medical procedures they underwent and the many "failures" they experienced are described. But they say, "If we lived in a world in which infertility is not seen as a 'disease' that can be 'cured', these technological accidents and experimental procedures could be avoided." That is, pressure from society can turn a fertility problem into a curse which provokes feelings of guilt, above all the desperate belief that, 'I have to try one more time, one more procedure.' : What is "illness", and What is the object of "treatment" ? After all, this study is an analysis of the content of papers concerning cognitive factors of illness behavior.