Thousands of working women in their twenties and thirties face a dilemma at some point: pursuing a career or starting a family. Corporations are trying to meet such women by offering to freeze their ova 'for later'.

The right moment to get pregnant is very much an individual issue. Nevertheless, a clear trend is discernible. Polish women are starting a family later and later. In the 1990s, women gave birth to their first child at an average age of 23, nowadays at 27.

What is the root cause?

The time when, for biological reasons, it is best to give birth is also the time of the most dynamic career development. In Polish corporations, the highest salaries are received by people aged 36-40 (data based on the Wynagrodzenia.pl website). And a well-paid and satisfying job often means paying off the mortgage, collecting savings or gaining a professional position allowing a peaceful return to work after maternity leave. This provides the sense of security so needed for the decision to get pregnant.

Do you work at Apple , Facebook or Google?

As a woman gets older, she becomes less fertile and the chances of getting pregnant decrease significantly. As a result, after the age of 40, it may be too late to have a baby.

Modern medicine has already found a way to do this, and some corporations are starting to use it. It is to their advantage if employed women take maternity leave as late as possible. Companies such as Apple, Google and Facebook are funding their female teams to freeze their ova, giving them a kind of lifeline should they decide not to get pregnant at the optimum age. The frozen ova can be used for in vitro fertilisation even after several years.

Is it worth sacrificing motherhood for a career? Opinions are divided. The bottom line is that medicine gives women a gateway when they choose to work after all.

The medical information presented should be considered as general guidelines and does not replace the individual judgement of the doctor regarding the medical management of each patient. The doctor, after a thorough examination of the patient's condition, determines the extent and frequency of diagnostic tests and/or therapeutic procedures, taking into account specific medical indications. All medical decisions are made in full consultation with the patient.

Author of the article

Invimed editorial team - we serve patients by solving their fertility problems. We use world medical knowledge, state-of-the-art technology and treatment methods. We are here to make dreams of parenthood come true. The smiles on the faces of happy parents give meaning to our work.

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