"The Big Lie: Motherhood, Feminism, and the Reality of the Biological Clock" by Tanya Selvaratnam

 

Oddly enough, a book written about the woes of feminism is actually written by a feminist herself.  Who would have guessed that!  The author shares much of her personal journey with infertility.  She explains how she assumed she would be able to have children later in life but learned the hard way that things are not so easy.  While many celebrities claim to have kids into their 40s and 50s, Selvaratnam explains that many are not open and honest with the media.  Some have surrogates, others have donor eggs, and a few can simply afford the most expensive fertility treatments money can buy.  However, for the average woman, it will be increasingly difficult to have kids past age 35.  In a sad turn of events, Selvaratnam also chronicles her journey of cancer and eventual divorce from her then husband.  This book is a wake up call to women everywhere.  While schools teach extensively on how to prevent pregnancy, few if any educate females on the biological clock.  Like the author, many women will find themselves in a situation one day where they are ready to have kids but physically can't.