Is it harder to have kids today? Or is it harder to want to?
“From the outset, reproduction is a collaborative venture,” writes Anna Louie Sussman, a journalist who has spent years reporting how people all over the world try, and too often fail, to build the families they want. Her work explores how the collaborators of reproduction keep multiplying: doctors, employers, legislators, insurers, and a fertility industry that […]
In her book Inconceivable: The Impossibility of Family in an Age of Uncertainty, journalist Anna Louie Sussman delves into the complexities individuals face when trying to start or grow their families. She argues that the barriers to having children are not solely economic, educational, or marital, as often assumed by demographers.
Instead, the challenges are deeply personal and difficult to quantify. Sussman explores the various collaborators in reproduction, including doctors, employers, legislators, insurers, and the ever-expanding fertility industry that promises not just a baby, but a "better" one. Her reporting reveals that the conversation around fertility and family formation has evolved in recent years, with more attention given to care infrastructure, paid leave, and affordable childcare.
However, the rise of pronatalism on the right and the embrace of technology by the super wealthy have added new dimensions to the discussion. The book arrives at a time when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been openly discussing her egg freezing journey and advocating for expanded insurance coverage and federal support for fertility treatments.
This development highlights the diverse experiences and motivations of individuals navigating the complex landscape of family formation in the modern world.
Written by urgent.news from Vox's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
