Artificial Insemination: Why Some Women are Not Waiting to Start a Family

Monday, 03 September 2012 20:19 Written by  Ebony L. Morman

It’s a new generation, right? We’re in a time that is deemed more progressive, innovative, and just simply more advanced. Instant gratification has taken on a whole new meaning with many different forms of technology, and when it comes to child birth, the same is true. Just like with many other aspects of their lives, women are becoming more independent than ever; some choosing to even start families on their own because they’re tired of hearing their biological clock ticking, while others seek artificial insemination because it’s the last resort.

Artificial insemination is another form of the injection of semen into the woman’s body, rather than by sexual intercourse. However, it’s not a simple as it sounds, especially for women who experience difficulty getting pregnant.

According to the American Fertility Association, 7.3 million American women face some kind of difficulty when trying to conceive.

Business owner and writer Jackie Bourke’s personal experiences prompted her to get involved in this research. Experiencing difficulties with pregnancies, this issue hits close to home for her.

“This and the fact that although I am very happy with a Portuguese man for nine years, combined with the fact that I am an only child myself, makes me sensitive to the feelings of wanting to procreate under circumstances that would have been considered almost impossible previously,” Jackie admits.

Other women may feel similar to Jackie, but she definitely wants women who choose this route to be mindful of all of the obvious challenges that come along with making such an important choice.

Women should consider the larger scope of the situation. For instance, in some cases, you may be the sole parent. Jackie says you have to consider the financial implications, the amount of physical and mental energy that will be exerted, and how others may not agree with your decision, which could affect the child in the future. She also suggests counseling to provide that listening ear, a soundboard of someone who is detached from the situation.

“Once she is 111 percent convinced she is sure about all of this, I would ask her to ask herself: is she aware of her own female qualities and her male qualities?” Jackie comments. “This is important because the older we get, generally the better we know ourselves, and if the child will not have a role model in the traditional sense, she has an extra responsibility.”

Jackie says having a male present in the child’s life can make a huge difference, but what happens when it gets more complex?

One of the consequences the business owner, who is in the process of developing a website for fertility, cautions women about relates to the law, which depends on where the woman has the procedure done. In some cases, donors and children may not have the luxury of communicating in the future.

It’s quite natural for a child to want to know his or her father personally, and there’s also the medical history side of it. Although donors are screened, the extensive process can vary from clinic to clinic. So, if something was missing or the child was unaware of some part of his or her genetics, things could get pretty complex, Jackie cautions.

“Women feel that they want children enough to overcome the challenges, and whether it is that a woman has had one or more bad experiences with men, is a lesbian or just feels content to take this route, some women feel more confident,” she adds.

Jackie says she admires the strength that it takes to make a choice such as this.

“Although I believe the choice of women going this route is a tough one, I do commend their bravery,” she admits. ”Each human being has their own path and it is valid for them, and this is fine once they are not intentionally hurting another human being.”



Follow Jackie on Twitter @cwajackie

For more general information and education on the topic, visit www.theafa.org/


Ebony L. Morman

Ebony L. Morman

GMO's Senior Editor Ebony L. Morman received her B.A. in journalism from Northern Illinois University and her master’s in journalism from Columbia College Chicago. The Chicago-native enjoys writing about almost anything, but since she also has a passion for music, writing reviews of albums has become one of her favorite past times. Aside from GMO, Ebony freelances for a variety of publications and volunteers in her community.

Ebony can be contacted at EbonyM@glossmagazineonline.com
Follow her on Twitter at @EbonyEyes_GMO

Website: www.glossmagazineonline.com

Latest from Ebony L. Morman

back to top