Contested Motherhood: Overview of Motherhood in Past, Present and the Future

Abstract

Motherhood is a social reality; the very social intuition existed in society since time immemorial. It is associated with women’s reproductivity and their socio-cultural life. It determines the woman’s status and their identity in the family and outer world. This paper attempts to understand motherhood as both a concept and a social institution by locating how motherhood is being constructed in the society as a social reality. Further, it discusses how feminists respond to the idea of motherhood. Finally, this paper examines the impact of reproductive technology on motherhood and how it is changing the structure and meaning, and idea of motherhood.