Chapter 6: Re-imagining the Embryo: Relational Metaphors in Assisted Reproductive Technology

Rhetorical devices, particularly metaphors, shape our thinking by enabling us to reason and engage with abstract concepts that do not directly evoke sensory-motor information but are instead constructed based on our concrete experiences in familiar domains. Metaphors are pervasive in medicine, influencing the practices and identities of healthcare professionals and patients. In the context of assisted reproductive technology (ART), the literature highlights a plurality of metaphors related to infertility, its diagnosis, and treatments. When ART beneficiaries picture their embryos, they draw upon relational properties and social dynamics typically associated with other concrete entities, such as a baby, a functional device, or a valuable resource. This chapter examines the relational metaphors beneficiaries use to describe the different social dynamics they establish with their embryos conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF) in a laboratory. The analysis is based on data from 69 in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with a convenience sample of IVF recipients as part of a completed research project on expert and lay meaning-making regarding in vitro embryos. The findings reveal that embryos are perceived as embodying either a potential child or viable biological material through medical visualization technologies. Beneficiaries may develop emotional or genetic bonds with certain embryos, which they feel must be cherished. IVF treatments can also evoke feelings of relinquishment – or desire for liberation – toward surplus embryos, whether stored in cryopreservation or designated for donation, especially after the birth of an IVF child. Additionally, embryos may be framed within a reciprocating cycle to the opportunities provided by biomedicine.