Women delaying motherhood is worrying

[funnyvalentine]

The chief medical officer (herself a woman who had 2 kids in her 40s) says it's worrying that women are delaying motherhood:

www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-health/10578227/Women-delaying-motherhood-is-worrying-issue-says-Britains-chief-doctor.html

On the one hand, 'men delaying fatherhood' isn't as much of a health issue. The issues are with a decline in female fertility and increased health risks to pregnancy. But men clearly play a big role in when women have children. So why is it always 'women delaying motherhood' as though it's a choice women make in a vacuum?

She is also concerned that many women are choosing not to have children. I'm at a loss to understand why not having children is a bad thing?

Evidence that fertility reduces with age?yes plenty.
Do I reference my subjective pov.no and I don't demand it of others
It's a discussion topic,I've not demanded anyone else provide evidence base their subjective pov

Powerful stuff, Blistory :)

Are you comfortable with your choices blistory?youre responsible for your actions
Society,culture,class has influence but you are responsible for choices
I don't think it can be as linear as society responsibility what you do.its both and. You and society,that dynamic

Um, kind of my point SM - would you ask a man if he was comfortable ? Do I ask you ? But as a child free woman, I'm fair game for that question.

Yes, I am entirely comfortable with my decisions. Are you ?

"Until men take an active and equal role in child rearing, women are still vulnerable unless they have an established and family friendly career first so no wonder so many women 'choose' to wait."

Well, this just sums it all up, really. Well said.

Happy with my choices?yes absolutely
And I no dont feel under a yoke of societal expectation
I returned to work ft,after 6mth.kids in nursery ft.i dont give a hoot whether that doesn't fulfil societal expectation of mothers
I do what's right for me.

Buffy it's a discussion topic,I'm not going to reference or give cochrane library link
I don't demand evidence of anyone else on mn,nor do I see every other poster quizzed for evidence
I dont concur with all opinion in thread but I enjoy reading it with demanding evidence

Good for you SM.

But it didn't work for my female peers who struggled in my profession which is male dominated and doesn't have child friendly working hours.

100% of men at my level have children.
12% of women at my level have children.

Quite damning. And really, as happy as I am with my life, I would have liked to have the option of having children and a career in the same way and same level that my male peers have. Who knows if my decision would have been the same ? I suspect it would but I never really had the option in the way that men do.

SM I don't think anyone has suggested the information should remain secret. Just that it shouldn't be presented in a way that blames individual women for 'choosing' to have kids late. And suggests that the answer is simply to tell women to get on with it, rather than address any of the myriad of reasons why women might feel they have to wait.

And it's great that you feel you can disregard what society expects of you (really great, I'm working on it!) but surely you must see that other women don't or can't?

and? it's not who got it worst competition
I've attended meetings as only female
I've met men and women who think women should be at home having precious moments not working

Your posts are increasingly ill tempered I think you've lost intellectual grip
So it's all I'm a plonker etc.
Are you able to discuss without name calling

It's not about who has it worst ?

Yes, it is when the default position is that women, as a class, have it worse than men, as a class.

Do you honestly think that women can have a career without it being affected by having children in the same way that men can ?

You might have been able to but plenty of other women haven't been able to.

Biggest myth we got sold as women was have it all. No parent has it all
Something gives when you have kids.cant be constantly available and at work
For as long as women give up work to support men,the men will continue unencumbered because they can

You called me a plonker?are you surprised i brought it up
Gish,indeed

Buffy - you are unreasonably reasonable at times.

Did she call you a plonker too blistory

As an. Article I'm nonplussed,it's statement of fact