Liberation or oppression? radical feminism and in vitro fertilisation

Qualitative research was conducted to determine to what extent, if at all, the experience of in vitro fertilisation could be explained by radical feminist theories. Ten semi‐focused interviews were conducted, seven with women alone, and three with women and their partners. Radical feminists emphasise the control of women's reproductive role by men as being the root of patriarchal oppression. The development of reproductive technology has been identified as working against the interests of women, and extending male control to the means of conception. Radical feminist literature in the area has taken mainly a theoretical approach to the exclusion of examining the role of women, while empirical research has often been a theoretical, and located within a biomedical framework. Two main areas of interest are discussed here; pro‐natalism, and power and control, which are examined in the light of radical feminist theory. While this approach provides a partial explanation for the experience of some women, the main weakness in radical feminist thinking is to treat women as universally oppressed and passive. By failing to legitimate women's experiences, radical feminism, far from liberating women, provides an alternative form of oppression.