Maternidade monoparental eletiva: a construção de projetos de filiação por meio de tecnologias reprodutivas

Abstract

Watari FL. Single-mothers by choice: the construction of offspring projects through reproductive technologies [dissertation]. São Paulo: "Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo"; 2021.Introduction: Single mothering by choice is a growing phenomenon in several countries. It is boosted with the consolidation of reproductive technologies (RT) by allowing single women to seek and to experience motherhood through pregnancy without sexual act and using third party genetic material. However, these technologies have high cost and are only a small proportion of the population can afford. Although it is becoming more popular over the years, this parental design is still quite unknown in many countries. Here we study the single motherhood by choice in Brazil.Objectives: Our aim was to investigate the motivations of interviewed women that led to the single parenthood by choice using reproductive technologies. Methodology: The empirical basis of this qualitative research consisted of semi-structured interviews with women residing in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil who were under treatment or have completed RT and have no previous children. The interviewed women age and monthly income ranged from, respectively, 23 to 45 years and R$ 1,500 to R$ 35,000; the majority of them have completed post-graduation courses but two, one having a high school diploma, and the other, a college degree; regarding race, two of them self-identified as brown and all the other as white. Initially, 2 participants were recruited based on records of assisted reproduction clinics and through contact with professionals working with related topics. Further participants were recruited using snowball sampling. The number of interviews was limited after reaching the theoretical saturation of themes. Results:We found that single parenthood by choice was motivated by a sense of accomplishment associated with the motherhood desire, the concepts regarding the family itself and the importance of the parental connection. Among all assisted reproductive techniques, choices were influenced by socio-political-economic factors. The use of genetic material from third parties involves the choice of national or international sperm banks and the seminal sample itself, with anonymous or not donor's identity. Solo maternity brings the challenge of reconciling individual and professional demands with the child's needs, the revealing to the child about the conceptual process and the concerns regarding prejudice and discrimination for their choice. Final considerations: The parental design was permeated by emotional factors and driven by the women self-impression as socially independent individuals. Single mothers by choice as an object of study is relevant to better understand maternal and female contexts and their demands, situating the position of women in society considering the context of this phenomenon.