Fertility means (almost) nothing if you're single!
I read Sinead's excellent entry on her blog Infertility and 'Anatomy is Destiny' earlier today and like any good blog entry it got me thinking a bit. I had noticed this issue in the media over the past number of months, it certainly seemed to get its fair share of coverage. This Guardian article made a number of interesting points in particular.
My own selfish point of view on this subject is that (as alluded to in the Guardian's article) men seem to have been sidetracked to a large extent in the debate. Maybe more accurately I mean 'family' in place of 'men' in the previous sentence. From reading some of the coverage of the issue you'd swear a woman just needed to make the tough decision to take time out to have a child and hey presto; the stork would arrive heavily laden. Surely there's more two it than that? (Apologies!)
Much seems to have been made of a woman's career as the obstacle to her having children earlier. Is this the salient reason? Career or no career, men and women are settling down with a partner later in life. I don't think men have become much more career minded than they were in previous decades and yet they are not entering marriages or stable relationships until later in life than ever before. Is this a direct consequence of more women now concentrating on their careers also? Or is this shift motivated as much from the male side of society as the female? Does it have more to do with cross-gender societal change rather than something as simple as women concentrating more on their career?
Either way, obviously men who harbour wistfully romantic aspirations of parenthood in a family environment in their 30s need to take note of biology as much as women.
Sinead wrote:
"I’ve talked to several friends about this and it seems than more and more women of a similar age feel the same sense of doubt. Where once the idea of wanting children “but not yet” was at least 7-10 years away, now time is catching up. Being too young, not ready, single or financially challenged have bought many of us time, but now as we trundle out of our twenties, with boyfriends or husbands in tow, decisions will have to be made either way."
This paragraph (with my emphasis) struck me as taking something for granted. Is there a pitstop to make as you leave your twenties where cupid draws his bow in your direction and you are awarded a partner suitable to have a family with? If so, please let me know as I'd hate to miss out! Those of us without partners in tow by the age of 30 need to start thinking about waving at singledom in the rear view mirror before we start thinking about anything else.
Published by Paul.
My own selfish point of view on this subject is that (as alluded to in the Guardian's article) men seem to have been sidetracked to a large extent in the debate. Maybe more accurately I mean 'family' in place of 'men' in the previous sentence. From reading some of the coverage of the issue you'd swear a woman just needed to make the tough decision to take time out to have a child and hey presto; the stork would arrive heavily laden. Surely there's more two it than that? (Apologies!)
Much seems to have been made of a woman's career as the obstacle to her having children earlier. Is this the salient reason? Career or no career, men and women are settling down with a partner later in life. I don't think men have become much more career minded than they were in previous decades and yet they are not entering marriages or stable relationships until later in life than ever before. Is this a direct consequence of more women now concentrating on their careers also? Or is this shift motivated as much from the male side of society as the female? Does it have more to do with cross-gender societal change rather than something as simple as women concentrating more on their career?
Either way, obviously men who harbour wistfully romantic aspirations of parenthood in a family environment in their 30s need to take note of biology as much as women.
Sinead wrote:
"I’ve talked to several friends about this and it seems than more and more women of a similar age feel the same sense of doubt. Where once the idea of wanting children “but not yet” was at least 7-10 years away, now time is catching up. Being too young, not ready, single or financially challenged have bought many of us time, but now as we trundle out of our twenties, with boyfriends or husbands in tow, decisions will have to be made either way."
This paragraph (with my emphasis) struck me as taking something for granted. Is there a pitstop to make as you leave your twenties where cupid draws his bow in your direction and you are awarded a partner suitable to have a family with? If so, please let me know as I'd hate to miss out! Those of us without partners in tow by the age of 30 need to start thinking about waving at singledom in the rear view mirror before we start thinking about anything else.
Published by Paul.
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