Abstract
The social views of infertility can impact the lived experiences of infertile women on a social and psychological level. As such, the research provides insights into the social construction of infertility among women in South Africa, with a socioanalytic lens using social dreaming. The research also explores South African and global literature to understand women’s experiences of infertility in more depth. A socioanalytical framework was employed to reveal the conscious and unconscious dynamics that influence the beliefs about infertility. The qualitative data collection took place across three sessions and included six participants. The sessions included, a Social Dreaming Matrix, Creative Role Synthesis and a Dream Reflection Dialogue. According to the findings, infertility is an unanticipated problem that women try to solve using various methods, all with the hope that they will be able to conceive. The goal of motherhood comes from self-pressure, social-pressure and the idealised future wherein one has a child. As such, even women who receive social support may isolate themselves. Moreover, with each menstrual cycle that a woman fails to conceive, she experiences loss and grief. Mental health practitioners should consider the social factors that impact women’s experiences of infertility, along with aiding women in finding their worth outside of motherhood. Furthermore, couples and family therapy could aid in addressing the mental health of infertile women.