Genesis Fertility Clinic Blog
searching: “child-free”
July 28, 2009
Child-free
August 3rd MacLean’s Magazine’s cover story is titled “No Kids, No Grief.” It examines the societal shift in attitude toward childlessness. Childlessness, now called “child-free,” has been stigmatized by western society as a word conveying void or handicap, in the author’s words. The article examines the reasons some people choose not to have children – financial, biologic, lifestyle, etc.
It seems that Canadian women are choosing not to have children more often. Ok, not that much more often, but since 1982 the number who choose to be child-free rose from 4.9% to 6.2% in 2002. Why? Are people just more comfortable admitting that they don’t want the work, stress or physical demands of having a child or are they listening to their own impulses to have children or not. There is some evidence that this impulse to procreate is genetic – not everyone is programmed to want children.
The article falls short in addressing fertility as a reason that couples are child-free. This is why I never ask people socially if they plan to have children or why they haven’t had children yet. Some people who are child-free will say they have chosen to be child-free but are infertile – the article forgets about this group.
This seems like a funny blog topic on an infertility clinic’s website, after all most people seek treatment at Genesis because they want children. I do observe that not all couples who see me are equally as motivated to have children – adopted or biologic. Some say they just want to know if they could conceive naturally, some say they would stop at fertility pills or insemination, some want to try all possible treatments. Perhaps there is genetic variation in how strong people’s impulses to conceive are, or perhaps there is just discomfort in the nature of fertility treatments.
It’s complex. It’s interesting. I’d just like to be apart of helping couples come to find whatever version of family feels right for them. As fertility doctors we are pretty good, but not perfect, at helping couples get pregnant, we no doubt could be better at helping them explore their impulses, motivations and dreams around living life with children or without.
To read some of the article and the comment stream it has generated click here.
Dr. Beth Taylor, MD, FRCSC
Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility