難姙의 原因과 背景에 대한 考察

A Study on Infertility- Cause and Meaning Based on Korean Medical Classics -

Objectives : Though a socially constructed disease, the burden of infertility has been cast upon the individual in recent times, leading to aggressive medical technologies to achieve pregnancy without consideration of the complex relationships between individual and society that is involved in this life phenomenon. This study aims to restore the many aspects of infertility, first through its meaning in the medical classics. Methods : Texts were chosen from before and after the Song period, when the study and practice on women’s health took a launch into becoming a specialized field. Huangdineijing , Jinguiyaolue , and Zhubingyuanhoulun listed basic theories considering the physiology and pathology of woman, while Jiaozhufurenlangfang , Donguibogam , and Fuqingzhuyixue dealt with specialized contents regarding women. Results : The findings were categorized into three major aspects of infertility; natural, medical and non-medical. The three aspects of infertility would not be easy to distinguish in real life, as they are inter-connected through the body as a site of embodiment. Conclusions : The discussion of the many aspects of infertility outside of the immediate medical definition implies the complexity of infertility as a life phenomenon, bringing attention to the importance of the experience in the life context.