What is it about?

Our paper is based on a study that explored the intricate connection between people's diverse fertility journeys, particularly those involving Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), and their workplace experiences. It reveals the structural and personal tensions, ambiguities, and ambivalence surrounding reproduction and non-reproduction in professional settings. Through detailed interviews with 80 individuals (67 women and 13 men), this study found that the workplace often becomes an alienating space for those undergoing fertility treatment, where they can face scrutiny and judgment. The participants highlighted the challenges related to showing their fertility struggles, the support they wanted versus what they received, and the impact of these experiences on their lives. A central outcome of this research is the development of a new concept called "reproductive capital" (RC). RC stands for an individual's resources and abilities related to reproduction, encompassing biological factors such as fertility, as well as social, cultural, and economic resources that either enable or restrict reproductive choices and outcomes. This study critically examines how RC interacts with other forms of capital (such as aging, biological, cultural, economic, social, and symbolic capital), influencing an individual's status and experiences, especially within the workplace. Ultimately, this study sheds light on how workplace dynamics and individual behaviours are shaped by these intersecting forms of capital, emphasising the need for more inclusive policies and cultural changes to better recognise and support diverse reproductive journeys.

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Why is it important?

This publication is unique and timely for several reasons. • Novel Concept of Reproductive Capital (RC): It introduces and critically examines "reproductive capital" as an important new theoretical framework, expanding Bourdieu's established capital theories by integrating aging and biological capital into the analysis of reproductive experiences. Unlike earlier brief mentions, this study explicitly explores RC's intersection with all other forms of capital, habitus, and hexis. • Focus on Workplace Intersection: It is the first study to specifically collect empirical data on fertility journeys in relation to the work environment, offering critical insights into an often-overlooked area. This is particularly timely, given the demographic shifts toward postponed parenthood and increased reliance on ART. • Reveals Symbolic Violence: This study illuminates how subtle, yet profound, "symbolic violence" is exercised against individuals who do not conform to pronatalist ideals or face reproductive challenges. This includes stigmatisation, discrimination, and exclusion of those undergoing ART, who are childless by circumstance or choice, or those in diverse family structures. This causes hidden inequalities to the forefront. • Comprehensive Data on Infertility Experiences: By using bio-narrative interviews with 80 participants, the research offers a deep qualitative understanding of the emotional, financial, and social burdens faced by individuals navigating fertility treatment. • Critique of ART Industry: The paper highlights the "marketization of 'sex cells'" and the global IVF industry, noting concerns about "neoliberal eugenics,” exploitation, and the high costs limiting access, which can reinforce existing socioeconomic inequalities. This challenges the common misconception that ART easily mitigates age-related fertility decline, exposing financial, health, identity, and social implications. The differences in this publication will be significant. • Enhanced Understanding: RC provides a deeper, multidimensional perspective for understanding social dynamics, individual positioning, and internalised dispositions related to reproduction. This helps clarify how economic and sociocultural environments, power dynamics, and technology intersect in people's reproductive journeys. • Informing Policy and Practice: It directly supports a call for governments, employers, and human resource professionals to recognise RC and its impact. By understanding the complex interplay of capital, organisations can develop fairer and more inclusive legislation and policies that acknowledge the diverse and fluid nature of family structures and provide better support for employees undergoing fertility treatment or experiencing childlessness. • Bridging Research Silos: It bridges previously siloed research on fertility and infertility by connecting biological, social, and structural factors across the life course, aligning with frameworks such as reproductive justice and reproductive careers. • Promoting Equality: By revealing latent and multifaceted inequalities, including discrimination and stigmatisation, it advocates for cultural shifts that value diverse reproductive journeys, promote gender equality, and enhance employee well-being and productivity.

Perspectives

The key quote, ‘“So, this is my investment” (Alan [pseudonym] holds baby up to the camera)’, is profoundly impactful as it highlights several critical themes of the publication, particularly the concept of reproductive capital’(RC) and its deep intersection with economic capital and sociocultural expectations. This illustrates that an individual's reproductive journey is not merely a personal medical experience, but also a rhizomatic relationship between their economic standing, social networks, cultural expectations, and even their perceived value and status in the workplace and society. For example, Alan's statement directly reflects the immense financial burden associated with ART, with people often spending tens of thousands of pounds on treatment. People often draw on personal savings, loans, and/or familial support. This highlights the ‘bio-capitalism’: the marketisation of reproduction. In this context, the baby becomes a tangible "return" on a significant financial outlay and is the conversion of economic capital into other forms of capital. Achieving parenthood through ART allows individuals to accumulate cultural, social and symbolic capital. This grants them access to social recognition, status, and social networks. The act of "holding up the baby to the camera" symbolises this public validation and the successful attainment of a deeply desired, culturally reinforced status. The revelation of how inequalities are operationalised through "symbolic violence" is particularly striking. It uncovers the subtle yet damaging ways that pervasive pronatalist norms can lead to profound emotional and psychological harm for those who don't conform to the "ideal" parent narrative, whether through involuntary childlessness, choice, or diverse family structures. This helps confirm the often-unseen struggles and emotional labour involved in navigating these paths. The economic burden of ART, described as a potential form of ‘economic eugenics, further underscores how fundamental reproductive choices are becoming increasingly stratified by wealth. The quote also shows the "dissonance" between expectation and reality, especially given the low success rates of IVF. The "investment" metaphor conveys the all-consuming nature of these journeys, where failure means not only financial loss but also profound grief and the diminishment of self-concept and social standing. For those unable to make this "investment" or whose efforts are unsuccessful, pronatalist societal norms can lead to symbolic violence, manifested as stigmatisation, exclusion, and misrecognition of their experiences. Ultimately, our paper provides a critical lens for understanding complex human experiences that extend beyond the purely biological, showing the urgent need for workplaces and society to evolve towards more empathy, recognition, and inclusive policies for all reproductive journeys.

Dr Robin A Hadley
Manchester Metropolitan University

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This page is a summary of: Reproductive capital: theoretical foundations and empirical evidence from the workplace, Frontiers in Sociology, August 2025, Frontiers,
DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2025.1608368.
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