“Nature makes you blind to the risks”: An exploration of womens' views surrounding decisions on the timing of childbearing in contemporary society

Abstract

We conclude that social reality dominates womens' reproductive decisions. Whilst the biological reality is that fertility reduces and medical complications increase with maternal age, social discourses deter women from acknowledging this. Medical risks associated with advanced maternal age are undermined by the notion that women can choose when to start a family.

Extreme desire for motherhood: Analysis of narratives from women undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)

“…Our study may have an added value for its in-depth view of the emotional dynamics that characterize patients with infertility problems. In addition to the sense of sacrifice, the pursuit for social inclusion and the feeling of uncertainty about the future ( Benyamini et al, 2005 ; Castellano et al, 2011 ; Lavender, Logan, Cooke, Lavender, & Mills, 2015 ; Verhaak et al, 2005 ), a lesser-known side of the desire for motherhood emerges in our research. Patients with infertility problems do not just seem to suffer from the great wound of infertility, but they are also strongly determined and resolute to reach their personal goal (the child), for which every relationship, including that with one's own body, is endangered.…”

Between a rock and a hard place: The reasons why women delay childbearing

“…Certainly there is considerable evidence to indicate there are gaps in women's knowledge about the fertility lifespan, agerelated infertility, maternal and fetal outcomes associated with AMA, and the inability of ART to fully compensate for age-related declines in fertility. [3,[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]30] In a recent Canadian survey of 3,345 childless women who presumed they were fertile and were open to having children in the future, the respondents perceived their fertility and ART knowledge was significantly higher than their actual knowledge. Of 16 questions focused on the fertility lifespan and the costs and success rates of IVF and egg freezing, 50% or more of the women answered only 6 questions correctly.…”

“…[17] Similarly, researchers have identified significant knowledge gaps in women's understanding of the maternal and fetal risks of delaying childbearing. [9,11,31] In a qualitative study of 18 childless women 18 to 50 years of age, Lavender and colleagues [30] found that even when women were aware of the risks of delaying childbearing, this awareness had little or no influence on their decisions regarding the timing of childbearing. These findings have led researchers and mental health professionals to question whether women are making decisions to delay based on inaccurate information, myths and misunderstandings.…”

“…These findings have led researchers and mental health professionals to question whether women are making decisions to delay based on inaccurate information, myths and misunderstandings. [3,17,30,32] Studies suggest that economic factors such as the financial costs of raising a child, the availability of affordable daycare, and the impact of career interruption to have a child, are also important in women's childbearing decisions. [7,33] In a Canadian study of 835 women who had recently given birth, 26% said that lack of support for pregnant women in their workplace impacted their decision on the timing of childbearing.…”

“…[33] Personal beliefs about the ideal and right circumstances in which to have a child, along with a desire to feel personally and emotionally ready to have a child, have also been identified as being important in women's decision-making about the timing of pregnancy. [6,8,30,[34][35][36] Many women appear to have a sense of a "correct order" of preparation for parenthood, or "right time" to try to conceive. [34,35] In a Danish qualitative study of 20 currently childless women attending a fertility assessment clinic, results indicated that women had "uncompromising expectations" of childrearing, which included the belief that education and career should precede childbearing.…”