Women In India Are Having Children Later In Life (Photo by Marcos Moraes on Unsplash)
The number of women in India who want a second child has drastically dropped from 68% to 24% in just one decade. The data, published in the National Family Health Survey 2018, has revealed that expectations and goals have dramatically changed. The prohibitive costs of raising children, the greater emphasis on forging a career, and the fact that pregnancies are left to later, are reasons for the paradigm shift.
Fertility treatments are booming
The IVF baby was born almost 40 years ago. Today, there is a spate of IVF clinics across the country, with cases of women as old as 72 giving birth and making headlines around the world. From a financial perspective, IVF works out. The treatment costs less in India than in Western countries, India boasts an array of well trained, highly experienced IVF specialists, and facilities are on par with other countries. Costs differ depending on the city but range from 65,000-80,000 in Kolkata to 2,00,000-3,00,000 Rs in Mumbai, per cycle. Although these amounts can be costly for couples with lower incomes, finances can be raised through credit, debt consolidation, and other means. The ‘return on investment’ is certainly worthwhile for many couples, with success rates varying from 40% to 60%.
The cons of leaving children for later
Having children when one is in one’s 20s has various benefits, including that of being a young grandparent in the future. Moreover, there are fewer health risks (including a lower risk of premature birth and miscarriage) for younger mothers. The rates of gestational diabetes and high blood pressure are also more common in women over 35.
The pros of waiting
There are also many benefits of waiting until one’s late 30s or early 40s to have children. They include greater economic stability and emotional maturity. Waiting also allows women to pursue further education and build their career. Having children should not be an obstacle to women rising up the corporate ladder, but until equal rights for paternity leave are officially established, women often have to make a pause in their career to care for a baby. Luckily, some companies in India are taking matters into their own hands. In January last year, Deutsche Bank granted employees six months paternity leave and Johnson & Johnson gives adoptive fathers eight weeks of paid leave during the first year so they can bond with their new baby or child.
Today, the high success rate of IVF means that there is no ‘right time’ to have a child and couples are freer to decide when they are ready. Couples should do the required research into the health risks of leaving it until later and also look into possible financial solutions to problems which may be stopping them from having a child earlier if desired.
Disclaimer: The above is a guest post
