Introduction
At this stage of society’s development, the issue of childbearing is one of the intriguing topics for research. This is because many technologies and studies analyze and provide awareness regarding aspects such as fertility, surrogacy, adoption, and foster parenting. In addition, discussing the formation of childfree and condemnations that may arise from society is ubiquitous. This work aims to analyze information and data on these aspects of society’s sexual life and provide awareness about their importance.
Childfree Choice
The birth of a child is one of the most critical moments in the life of many people. However, some individuals decide not to bring new life into the world and become childfree. Research stated that “an article based on the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) reported that between 2006 and 2010, 6% of childless American women aged 15–44 years were voluntarily childfree” (Harrington, 2019, p. 22). Thus, unlike previous generations, modern Americans often choose not to inherit. However, this act does not escape critical and condemnatory public attention.
The choice to have children is a purely personal decision of each woman and their partner. At the same time, the stigma regarding the childfree phenomenon is growing among those who adhere to more traditional or religious views. Further, women face the problem that the choice not to give birth to a child can be met with condemnation and multiple attempts to convince them otherwise (Ekelund & Ask, 2021).
On the other hand, many individuals do not take into account the fact that this choice may be based on such conditions as psychological and mental health. Hence, many women may not be able to carry a child or may not have the mental capacity to care for them (Tye, 2014). Therefore, the choice to be childfree or not should be perceived with loyalty and understanding by society, as this kind of decision may be due to factors beyond a woman’s influence.
Fertility Factors
Fertility is one of the most valuable aspects of women’s health. It is influenced by multiple factors, some of which women can control, and some of which have purely biological reasons. Therefore, one of the leading indicators is an age since “women are born with all the eggs they will ever have and the number of eggs available decreases each day from birth onwards” (“Factors affecting fertility,” n.d., para. 1). Moreover, this aspect also concerns the quality of eggs, which means that the older a woman is, the higher her risk of problems with conception and pregnancy (Tye, 2014). The same can be attributed to men, whose fertility decreases with age.
Another biological factor that affects women’s ability to have children is genetics. Thus, the fertility history of the family can significantly affect the younger generations. In addition, women are at risk of experiencing early menopause at an early age. Genetics is also responsible for a woman’s hormonal background and the body’s ability to get pregnant and carry a child.
Lifestyle is the main factor affecting fertility, which women can control. This aspect includes nutrition since, for example, obesity can negatively affect the menstrual cycle. Harmful habits such as smoking, alcohol, and drug use have a critical contribution. These activities reduce a woman’s ovarian reserve, which in turn reduces the number of eggs and worsens the cilia inside the fallopian tubes (“Factors affecting fertility,” n.d.). Thus, health care should become paramount for every woman who wants to have a child.
Surrogacy
Surrogacy is one of the alternatives for women who, for specific reasons, cannot or do not want to carry a child on their own. Moreover, this method is standard among traditional couples and representatives of the LGBT community (Berkowitz, 2020). Surrogacy is gaining more and more popularity every year; for example, “in 2015, 2,807 children were born in the United States by a surrogate” (Gonzalez, 2019, p. 1). A distinctive feature of this process is that women carrying a child receive financial support and are in constant contact with the family of the unborn baby.
At the same time, surrogacy can carry some problems, both for a woman carrying a child and for a woman expecting a child. First, a surrogate mother puts herself at risk related to health and possible complications during pregnancy or miscarriage. There is no denying that after birth, a woman can continue to have her own children if she wants.
Another significant issue is the mental aspect of surrogacy. In the case of women who apply for these services, they may have problems with building a connection with the child and the emergence of maternal instinct. A surrogate mother, on the contrary, can form an attachment to the baby and refuse to give it to her parents. Therefore, when deciding to apply this method of giving birth to a child, both sides should consider all the advantages and disadvantages.
Adoption and Foster Parenting
For those families who, for various reasons, cannot have children or apply for the services of a surrogate mother, there is the option of adoption or becoming foster parents. In such cases, couples take responsibility for the support, maintenance, and upbringing of children whose own parents have abandoned them. Hebert and Kulkin (2018) point out that “most states require that prospective foster parents attend precertification training classes and undergo a home study before becoming certified to take children into their homes” (p. 257). This is particularly valuable since not everyone is psychologically prepared for these changes.
Moreover, adults should be able to provide the child with the most comfortable transition to a new family. The main distinguishing feature of adoption is that people acquire full legal rights to take care of the child and make decisions regarding parenting and other aspects (“Families considering foster care and adoption”). Foster parenting, in turn, is often deprived of this aspect since it is carried out in conjunction with social service agencies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the study of topics such as fertility, becoming childfree, adoption, and surrogacy is an integral part of the study of sexual education. This knowledge helps to spread awareness in society and limit the stigma regarding personal desires and choices of individuals. It is worth noting that some of these topics require more detailed and in-depth research to improve knowledge in the sexual sphere of people’s lives.
References
Berkowitz, D. (2020). Gay men and surrogacy. In LGBTQ-Parent Families (pp. 143-160). Springer, Cham.
Ekelund, M., & Ask, K. (2021). Stigmatization of voluntarily childfree women and men in the UK: The roles of expected regret and moral judgment. Social Psychology, 52(5), 275–286.
Factors affecting fertility. (n.d.). Fertility Network UK.
Families considering foster care and adoption. (2019). Child Welfare.
Gonzalez, A. (2019). Commercial surrogacy in the United States. Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law, 1(19).
Harrington, R. (2019). Childfree by choice. Studies in Gender and Sexuality, 20(1), 22-35.
Hebert, C. G., & Kulkin, H. (2018). An investigation of foster parent training needs. Child & Family Social Work, 23(2), 256-263.
Tye, M. (2014). Sexuality and our diversity: integrating culture with the biopsychosocial. Flat World Knowledge.