It is a fact that, nationally and globally, women are postponing motherhood. In Chile, starting in the 1960s, family planning programs and access to multiple contraceptive methods have been implemented, which granted women greater freedom to decide about their fertility desires, being able to separate pleasure. of the reproductive function.
On the other hand, the insertion of women into the labor market, the increase in opportunities to access technical and higher education programs, and the change in mentality that the transformation of our society entails, aimed at being more equitable in terms of roles of gender, drives women in the search for their personal, professional and economic development, to the detriment of their reproductive potential, relegating the desire for motherhood to the fulfillment of these personal goals. Despite these advances, we still live in a society where the to those who become pregnant at an early age, also to those who become mothers “late” and to those who do not wish to be mothers.
I believe that the desire to become pregnant is something so personal and carries so much responsibility that each woman should be free to decide if motherhood is included in her life project and when she considers appropriate to do it.
Women who are currently of reproductive age are part of a generational change: women with greater freedom and knowledge about their bodies and sexuality, women who seek personal development in multiple areas, beyond motherhood. The problem is that there is no pause button on our biological clock and as time passes, the quantity and quality of our eggs decreases.
Faced with this scenario, I consider the reproductive counseling that we can provide as gynecologists and midwives to be of utmost importance, to timely carry out an evaluation of the ovarian reserve and to consider alternatives in this race against time, such as oocyte cryopreservation.
Regarding our current work system, I consider that in recent years positive changes have been made in favor of motherhood and co-parenting, such as the extension of post-natal leave, with the possibility of sharing it with the partner, the possibility of teleworking, the existence of maternity leave, timetable permission to breastfeed, among other changes that help make our professional life compatible with family life. Although there are more aspects that can be considered, our country has been advancing in recent years towards the desired scenario.
I also believe that it is appropriate for women, over the age of 25, who do not intend to become pregnant in the short term or who have doubts about their desire for motherhood in the future, to know that there are treatments such as cryopreservation of our eggs that reduce the pressure on the biological clock and allows us to freely choose the time that we consider most appropriate to become mothers, if we so wish.
It’s like having a savings account, we know that we have that money if we ever need it. We may not use it, our future plans may change, but faced with the uncertainty of the future, cryopreservation appears as a great alternative that provides peace of mind in the present.
For me, it is very important to convey to those women who today are feeling guilt or pressure for prioritizing their projects before motherhood, that there is no perfect time to be a mother and each woman should be free to decide, if she wishes, when it is. the best time for it. Although time is undoubtedly money in fertility, we currently have an alternative to conserve part of our reproductive potential through oocyte cryopreservation. Because in the end, it is not about stopping worrying, but rather taking care of yourself in the present to reduce the possibility of future complications when looking for pregnancy.
