Infertility is a medical condition that has behavioral, sociocultural, and psychosocial dimensions. In Islamic cultures it is a highly stigmatized condition. Blame is placed on the barren married woman. While this is known, no researcher has completed a comprehensive study of the sociocultural dimensions of the condition. In this study the researcher will look at the beliefs and behaviors surrounding fertility, the social consequences of infertility, the coping strategies of infertile women and the structural and ideological factors underlying the cultural response to infertility in Alexandria, Egypt. Information from this project will be of use to health policy-makers and demographers in Egypt and throughout the Middle East.
