Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sushi Q on July 23, 2009 at 6:54pm

I've seen this subject come up in various places on the intarwebs...and this is my view: It's not our problem or our business. Their bodies, their choice, ya know? Our opinion really doesn't matter.

As a childFREE woman of 45, I'm not going to be making this choice for myself, but whatever others want to and can do is ok. Men can be fathers far into their elder years, but statistically they don't live as long as a woman. There's no logic there either.

Whether we "agree" with this or "make up our minds" about it will lead nowhere, because it's not up to us to take action around it. All you can do is decide if it's for you or not for you. Or is that what you're asking - whether people are considering it for *themselves?*

If so, you have my answer anyway. :)

Permalink Reply by Anne Halligan on July 23, 2009 at 7:07pm

I suppose I'm wondering about the ethics of it. In the UK it's not possible to get this treatment because of the ethical guidelines surrounding it. If you're a woman with money you can travel to other countries where the treatment is available, this then leaves women without money at a disadvantage because of these ethical limitations. I think the ethical prohibitions will evolve with time, but I'm wondering how widespread the taboo of late pregnancy is.

My indecision is entirely to do with considering my own ethics about it.

Permalink Reply by TNT666 on February 28, 2011 at 1:19am

I agree with you in as much as our society/governments are not investing money in that area of research and not paying for the procedures. IMO modern reproductive technologies should be considered cosmetic surgery, because the people having them done are doing it for superficial reasons. They want to do it, fine, but not on my tab.

Nearly half Western civilisation has back problems after age 40. How is someone with a back problem going to deal with constantly lifting their child and playing games with them? I think it's a disservice to childhood.

But would I ban it, no.

Permalink Reply by Laura B-G on July 28, 2009 at 7:28pm

Many young women give birth to children who exhibit birth defects. My parents were young people when they conceived me, yet they both died early. Where exactly does fair come into this?

My view is that age has nothing to do with it. This world needs parents who care about children. Period. We live in first-world, industrialized and well-educated societies. It is pretty shameful that children starve and are beaten under our very noses.

The article posted above discussed idea that society does not find it "natural" for older women to conceive and raise children. Sounds a lot like the same arguments against homosexual parents raising children together. The societal "taboos" against loving parents of certain ages or certain lifestyles are the only unethical and un-natural thing going on here.

Permalink Reply by sehkmet on February 28, 2011 at 2:59am

With longevity increasing, women live long enough to see a child to adulthood when giving birth into their sixties.  One argument against conceiving late in life is that it will be hard on the kids because their mom will be to much older than their friend's moms to make friends.  This argument is ridiculous.  It is not a requirement to be the parents of you child's friend.  My mom didn't conceive late and she wasn't chums with my friend's parents.  She just had nothing in common with them other than their kids were friends.

With current technology age is no problem.  Sometimes age make for better parenting.