Which career first?: Women remain caught in dilemma

doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7520.846

BMJ 2005;331:846 (8 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7520.846

Letter

Which career first?

Women remain caught in dilemma

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Free choices about having children cannot be madewith partial knowledge, economic disadvantage for mothers, andunsupportive workplaces.¹ I believe that Bewley et al are absolutelyright in this and in their following argument for better supportfor mothers citing the cost to the state and employers of womendelaying pregnancy—which got a little lost in the mediafurore about women "defying nature."

However, meanwhile women remain caught in the dilemma: to delaypregnancy and incur the risks, or to have children and loseout on career opportunities, earnings, and pension. Althoughit remains important to strive for better support for mothersin the future, they have to choose in a current climate thatis as unsupportive as the authors described. This means thatadvice concentrating on the risks of pregnancy after 35 couldincrease this dilemma and instil a sense of guilt and selfishness,while not addressing . . . [Full text of this article]

Antje Lindenmeyer, research associate in primary care

University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL A.Lindenmeyer@warwick.ac.uk