Postponed Parenthood

This unique book provides expert advice on all the different aspects related to fertility preservation for age related infertility. Although, there is a lot of information available on the Internet and in books about fertility preservation for cancer treatment, little information is available for young women that are confronted with a ticking biological clock. While men have been able to cryopreserve sperm since the 1950s, women have only recently gained the opportunity to preserve their gametes through the egg vitrification technique. Therefore, many women confronted with a risk of imminent fertility loss, such as chemotherapy, are now freezing their oocytes instead of embryos. Successful oocyte cryopreservation offers them a reproductive autonomy independent of men. Moreover, it now enables single women to preserve their reproductive chances. The most important threat for female fertility is ovarian aging as it causes a progressive decline in the reproductive chances. The general trend to delay motherhood due to societal changes confronts many women and couples with a diminished fertility. This fertility problem can often not be cured by in vitro fertilization, which makes that an increasing number of women require oocyte donation as the treatment of last resort. In the last few years, fertility centres around the world have started to offer the opportunity cryopreserve oocytes to young, often highly educated, single women. This patient population is unique as compared to other patients in the fertility clinic as they perform a preventive treatment. They are neither confronted with infertility nor are they undergoing a treatment that might cause an imminent treat to their fertility.

Transition to Parenthood moves beyond a one-study focus and captures multidisciplinary work on all families making the transition to parenthood. The book covers societal trends, changes, and most importantly expectations. Focus is also placed on how families are impacted by their surroundings and their individual members. Strengths and limitations of current theories are discussed, as well as how the phenomenon of parenthood requires a combination of both macro- and micro-level theories.

Seminar paper from the year 2014 in the subject Social Studies (General), grade: 2,7, Humboldt-University of Berlin, language: English, abstract: The paper deals with the issue of later childbearing and the driving forces behind the decision of postponing parenthood. Since this is a global process which affects not only individuals on the micro level, but whole populations, which nowadays face many social challenges, caused by the Second demographic transition. Socio-economic reasons mixed with cultural differences and changing values are among the main reasons for the shift of the timing of childbearing among women. With the equalization of rights between men and women, the educational level of the female population has increased, leading to better career opportunities and the abandonment of the typical view on women as housewives. The introduction of contraceptive methods and the development of medical technology have given women more freedom in the decision-making process concerning family formation and childbearing, but if this tendency continues, what effects could we expect on the society and should governments intervene in individuals’ life course choices so that we do not experience lasting negative outcomes? This and other questions are still left unanswered but should probably be included on the agenda.

THE CLOCK TICKER’S REPRIEVE tells the stories of five women who freeze their eggs and chronicles how it affects their lives.

The challenges for young people making the transition to adulthood are greater today than ever before. Globalization, with its power to reach across national boundaries and into the smallest communities, carries with it the transformative power of new markets and new technology. At the same time, globalization brings with it new ideas and lifestyles that can conflict with traditional norms and values. And while the economic benefits are potentially enormous, the actual course of globalization has not been without its critics who charge that, to date, the gains have been very unevenly distributed, generating a new set of problems associated with rising inequality and social polarization. Regardless of how the globalization debate is resolved, it is clear that as broad global forces transform the world in which the next generation will live and work, the choices that today's young people make or others make on their behalf will facilitate or constrain their success as adults. Traditional expectations regarding future employment prospects and life experiences are no longer valid. Growing Up Global examines how the transition to adulthood is changing in developing countries, and what the implications of these changes might be for those responsible for designing youth policies and programs, in particular, those affecting adolescent reproductive health. The report sets forth a framework that identifies criteria for successful transitions in the context of contemporary global changes for five key adult roles: adult worker, citizen and community participant, spouse, parent, and household manager.