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 feel
ana 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
“YOU ARE NOT ALONE”
Can 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
INTERNET CONNECTIONS
http://www.dailystrength.org/people/489469/photosvideos
http://forums.fertilitycommunity.com/
Mothers who adopt as single parents/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pdxadoptingsingles/
FORUM/CATEGORIES
 Infertility-internet connections with others on line daily
 Male and Female support is important to the grief process when
couples are dealing with infertility and/ or adoption afterward
 Open discussions on internet and local or statewide meetings for
couples and singles trying to find answers and help!
WEB SITE RESOURCES
 http://www.thelightbeyond.com/how_to_console_a_grievi
ng_friend. html
 http://www.resolve.org/http
 http://www.adoptioncounselingservices.com/index.html
REASONS TO SUPPORT
Infertility and adoption issues
 http://www.postadoptionfam
ily.com/index.php?page=adoptio
n-counseling-news
Males and Females/Couples or singles
 Overwhelming
 Stressful and foggy existence
 Male stigma (loss of support)
 Female stigma (fitting into the
parent role)
 Distance from relationships
together and with other
couples/parents
INFORMATION /RESEARCH
American Society
Resolve
 American Society for
 RESOLVE The National
Reproductive Medicine
Infertility Association
1209 Montgomery Highway
Birmingham , AL 35216-2809
Phone: 1- 205 - 978-5000
Web Address:
http://www.asrm.org
1760 Old Meadow Rd, Ste 500
McLean , VA 22102
Phone: 1- 703 - 556-7172
Web Address: www.resolve.org
INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL
 International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination
P.O. Box 6836
Arlington , VA 22206
Phone: 1- 703 - 379-9178
Web Address: http://www.inciid.org
 Some of the websites are information gathered by chat groups on line
at support sites. Personal experiences and daily connections with internet
GAINING CONNECTIONS
RESOURCES
 Inhorn, 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