Having a child at the right time: a strategic step in the life of a modern businesswoman

Marion, 34 years old, a human resources specialist at a multinational company, is a model of a woman who has had an impressive career. Over the past six years, she has worked in the company offices in Warsaw and Vienna, and she is now preparing to lead the human resources department in Singapore. Originally from the French city of Tours, she is appreciated by her employer for her professionalism and international experience, while she herself appreciates the company for its dynamism and the new challenges it offers her. However, this rapid professional rise comes at a price: constant moving prevents her from building a lasting relationship. “It is difficult to find a partner willing to change countries with me,” she notes. “But it is not easy to stop when my career is booming.”

Marion does not rule out that in a few years, she will want to slow down and dedicate more time to her personal life, but she does not plan to postpone the question of motherhood for too long. “I understand that personal fulfillment involves the birth of a child,” she admits. “And at the same time, I understand that in five to seven years, it will be much more difficult to achieve.”

One of the solutions for women like Marion is deferred motherhood technology. The main idea of this approach is to freeze eggs at the time when their quality is optimal, usually before the age of 37. The biological material is preserved in a reproductive clinic until the woman is ready to become a mother. If, after several years, she still has not found a partner, she has the option to turn to a sperm bank for artificial insemination.

A more reliable alternative is to freeze embryos.

In this case, the egg is fertilized in advance and stored in liquid nitrogen. The embryo remains viable for transfer into the uterus for up to 20 years, giving the woman better chances of carrying a pregnancy to term in the future.

Marion has already consulted several clinics and plans to make a final decision before moving to Singapore.

A decade ago, such decisions seemed revolutionary, even in the United States. Today, late motherhood is widespread and regarded as a natural choice in developed countries. Sociologists note that young women are no longer seeking to marry immediately after finishing university studies. “They focus on their careers and personal fulfillment, and increasingly choose to invest in their professional development,” explains a senior researcher at the Sociology Institute.

What motivates a woman to decide to “postpone” childbirth by five to ten years? In most cases, it is socio-professional competition and the desire to succeed in her career. “Just a little more, and I’ll become a CEO,” “Another two years, and the company will enter international markets,” thinks the ambitious woman. She adopts the traditionally masculine success model: being a source of income, a leader, a respected and admired person. Financial independence allows her to feel young and full of energy. She plans to start a family later, convinced she will be able to succeed there too.

However, this rational approach sparks debates among specialists. A representative of the Ministry of Health and Solidarity emphasizes: “A child should not be part of a business plan. Artificial insemination was created to help women facing infertility, not to postpone motherhood to a more opportune moment.” But modern world realities shape new behavioral models, and businesswomen think differently.

If motherhood is considered as part of a long-term strategy, risks must be taken into account. There are three most common scenarios.

Scenario 1. Success is achieved, but not the partner

The woman is over 35, financially independent, but has not found a suitable partner. Her relationships are short-lived, and the idea of motherhood becomes increasingly urgent. One option is to use a sperm donor and undergo IVF with donor material.

But this decision also involves potential difficulties. Imagine: a few years later, she meets a man willing to start a family. The clinic maintains frozen embryos created with an anonymous donor. Questions arise: how will the new partner react? And will the woman want to give birth to a “planned” child if circumstances have changed?

Scenario 2. Egg freezing: a high-risk investment

The decision to freeze her eggs postpones the donor choice but requires a clear-eyed assessment of probabilities. Specialists compare this to a risky investment: the potential is high, but there are no guarantees. “Even using proven IVF technologies for years, not all women conceive. Frozen eggs lose some of their quality over time. Of ten frozen eggs, only 40 to 60% on average are suitable for fertilization after several years. And it is impossible to predict how many of them can be successfully fertilized and transferred.”

Scenario 3. There is a partner and agreement... but life brings change

The woman is in a stable relationship, her partner shares her desire to focus on her career and postpone motherhood by a few years. Even such an agreement does not guarantee success. Like in a business partnership, the breakup can happen at any time. Today it’s love and trust, tomorrow it’s separation, and the desire to have a child together disappears. Medical technologies help, but the human factor remains decisive.

Suppose all difficulties are behind us and a “planned” child is born.

Motherhood at a mature age has its advantages. “A woman who becomes a mother at 45 approaches this step with life experience, stable values, and resources,” comments a psychologist. She has a strong personality and can give her child much more than a 20-year-old mother.”

But there is also a flip side. There can be a significant age gap between mother and child, of 40 or 50 years. “Sometimes, a whole generation is lost, with its cultural codes and habits. Even if the woman is modern and strives to live at the same pace as young people, a clash of worldviews is inevitable,” emphasizes the psychologist.

In 2023, researchers from Yale University published data indicating that the number of women who decided to have their first child after 40 doubled over the past five years in the United States. However, given that clinics promise a success rate not exceeding 50 to 60%, deferred motherhood remains one of the riskiest life projects for an ambitious, career-oriented woman.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Deferred Motherhood

❓ At what age is it preferable to freeze your eggs? 

The most suitable period is between 35 and 37 years old, when egg quality is optimal.

❓ Which is more reliable: egg freezing or embryo freezing? 

Clinical statistics show that freezing embryos generally offers better chances of pregnancy success.

❓ Can I use donor sperm if I don’t have a partner? 

Yes. Reproductive clinics provide access to certified donor databases.

❓ How long can eggs and embryos be stored in a clinic? 

Eggs can be stored on average up to 10-15 years, depending on national legislation and clinic policies, and embryos up to 20 years or more, provided all cryopreservation conditions are met.