Set in post-WWI Australia, this novel explores the all-consuming grief of infertility. Living in isolation on a remote lighthouse island, Isabel’s life is defined by the sorrow of multiple miscarriages. When a boat washes ashore carrying a living baby, she believes it is a gift from fate.
Her decision to keep the child sets in motion a devastating chain of events, exploring how the deep ache of childlessness can challenge a person’s moral compass and redefine right and wrong.
Atwood's classic dystopian novel presents infertility as a terrifying societal crisis. In the Republic of Gilead, widespread infertility has led to a brutal regime where fertile women are stripped of all autonomy and forced into ritualized servitude as "Handmaids" to bear children for the ruling elite.
The story, told through the eyes of the Handmaid Offred, is a chilling examination of female bodies being commodified and controlled when fertility becomes the state's most precious resource.
This literary novel offers an intimate and devastating portrait of a marriage slowly eroded by decades of infertility. Margaret and Andrew’s longing for a child takes them on a long, frustrating, and emotionally draining journey through the possibilities of medicine and adoption in the mid-20th century.
Smiley masterfully depicts how the sustained, quiet grief of their childlessness shapes their identities, their ambitions, and the very foundation of their relationship over a lifetime.
Picoult tackles the modern infertility journey with her characteristic emotional depth. Zoe Baxter undergoes years of grueling IVF treatments, only to see her marriage crumble under the strain. After finding love again with a woman, her quest for motherhood takes a new turn, leading to a fierce legal battle over frozen embryos.
The novel delves into the science of reproductive technology, the pain of repeated loss, and the powerful, enduring yearning to be a parent.
In this powerful dystopian vision, global infertility has plunged humanity into a state of hopeless despair. With the last human born nearly two decades ago, society is collapsing into apathy and violence. The story follows historian Theo Faron, whose cynicism is shattered when he encounters the first pregnant woman in a generation.
James portrays infertility not just as a personal tragedy but as the root of existential dread, showing how deeply hope for the future is tied to the promise of the next generation.
Drawing on a Russian fairy tale, this novel is a poignant and magical look at the loneliness of a childless couple. In the harsh Alaskan wilderness of the 1920s, Jack and Mabel are haunted by the silence and emptiness in their lives. One night, in a moment of whimsy, they build a child out of snow.
The next day, the snow child is gone, but a mysterious young girl appears in the woods. Ivey beautifully explores how longing and imagination can conspire to fill the void left by infertility.
Weiner weaves together the stories of four women whose lives intersect around the desire for a child. An egg donor, a surrogate, a wealthy woman desperate to be a mother, and her stepdaughter all grapple with the complex emotional and ethical realities of modern family-building.
With both humor and empathy, the novel explores the surprising bonds and deep-seated conflicts that arise from infertility, surrogacy, and the powerful dream of parenthood.
This relatable and often humorous novel captures the emotional rollercoaster of trying to conceive. Emma, the protagonist, documents her journey with unflinching honesty, from timing intercourse and enduring invasive tests to navigating the well-meaning but often clumsy advice of others.
Moriarty provides a heartfelt look at the strain infertility places on a partnership, on self-worth, and on one’s sanity, balancing the heartbreak with moments of genuine comedy.
In a near-future world ravaged by a virus that makes pregnancy fatal, humanity faces extinction. Global infertility has become a stark reality, and society is desperate for a solution. Sixteen-year-old Jessie Lamb is forced to confront an impossible ethical choice: sacrifice herself for the chance to bring a new life into the world.
Rogers uses the lens of infertility to explore profound questions of bodily autonomy, sacrifice, and what it means to have a stake in the future.
Set in biblical times, this novel vividly portrays a world where a woman’s worth and destiny are inextricably linked to her fertility. Told from the perspective of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, the story immerses the reader in the lives of her mothers—Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah.
Their experiences with pregnancy, childbirth, and barrenness are central to their joys, sorrows, and social standing. Diamant gives a powerful historical perspective on infertility as both a deeply personal trial and a defining social status.