An Inconceivable Notion

Description

Our media is full of parenting success stories: pregnancy through IVF, becoming first-time parents after age 45, overcoming mental or physical barriers to successfully conceive, or even surrogacy. But what of those many people who want to have children but fail to do so? And what of the people who are childless by choice? Failure of fertility treatment, not meeting a life partner until too late, not meeting the right partner at all and underlying medical conditions are just a few of the countless reasons why someone's desire to be a parent may never be fulfilled. An Inconceivable Notion is a collection of stories from women and men who have been unable to conceive, either from physical reasons, through circumstance or who have made the choice to be childless. The contributors discuss the issues that they faced, and how their ultimate decisions have affected their lives and their relationships, past and present. These include dealing with the realities of their situation, coping with societal pressures, moving forward and forging a childless future - some as a couple, some not. In a frank and honest account of their thoughts and emotions in coming to terms with their childless state, the women and men interviewed highlight important and rarely discussed issues in society today.