Childlessness: Social Pressure, Coping and the Complexities of Adoption in Rural Society

Abstract

Infertility has been steadily invading the rural Indian population, and some of the childless parents are going for adoption as a solution. This is a new development since it was relatively unheard of and unconventional, and there is hardly any study on the issue. The present study was undertaken due to the lack of research in the field. This exploration attempts to cut through various aspects like the agony and pain of childlessness, the coping mechanisms, the process of deciding between adoption, the social, economic and legal aspects involved in adoption and finally the insinuations, gossip and attitudes of family and community members towards adoptive parents.