IVF failure: Reproductive normativity and dealing with disappointment - Commentary

This paper provides a commentary on Karen Throsby's paper Negotiating "normality" when IVF fails. There are three sections to this work. Firstly, I outline some theoretical aspects of discursive work which argue for attempting to provide counter readings. Such alternatives are celebrated by this special issue and the notion of re-analysis and re-reading are clearly consistent with the aims of the journal. Secondly, a re-analysis of data from the 'negotiating technology' section, extends the original analysis by suggesting that downplaying of technology by participants works to ensure that their own unique contribution to the process remains of prime importance. Secondly, re-analysis of data from 'reproductive normativity' challenges the imperative that participants must make sense of IVF failure through a limited number of discourses. The suggestion is made that participants operate a progressive narrative by showing that they had. faced disappointment and were now. moving forward positively. The paper concludes with some comments on the importance of entertaining alternative explanations and counter discourses.