The potential to give birth to new life lies within a woman. She should consider the question though, ‘Should I have a baby‘. Now more than ever before in human history it is not a matter of course, but a matter of choice.
The growth of the world population could now be the stuff of a science fiction movie. In a populous country like India there are efforts being made to reduce the birth rate but every minute of every day the enormous population increases by about thirty people. Twenty-five die and fifty-five are born.
What is known as the sexual revolution began half way through the twentieth century when the contraceptive pill was developed. This gave women a much greater degree of choice over their lives and their bodies. They could have sex freely without risk of the consequences that had befallen women in previous eras. Unplanned pregnancies were no longer really necessary and the rate of population growth began to decline. Despite this the overall population continued to increase because a point had been reached where the snowball rolling downhill could not be stopped.
There is much talk about sustainable development in our generation. Development, as we understand it, is a good thing that has steadily lifted the quality of life for human beings. Babies are now born into a world where they can be expected to live and grow happily. The world is full of opportunities for them and this is because of developments in technology, knowledge and skill.
Machines work continuously throughout the world extracting non-renewable resources from the Earth’s crust at a rate that is even more alarming than the rate of population growth. The situation is critical. Any responsible person reflecting on the situation must become aware of the responsibility of bringing another person into the world. Compounding the dilemma is the thought that irresponsible people are reproducing thoughtlessly.
A baby born in 2012 can expect some alarming developments by the time he or she is twenty-one. With the human population growing by about a hundred thousand people every day the world population of seven billion in 2011 will have reached about nine billion people. The effect of this number on the planet and upon human mores can only be a matter of conjecture.
However, it does have implications for the question of whether a woman should bring another life into the world. Several factors have to be taken into account in the light of demographic realities. A woman living in China must take into account whether she already has one child. Penalties will be imposed under the one child policy if more than one child is brought into the world.
Increasingly, in countries all over the globe, individual women must ask themselves the question, ‘Should I have a baby that may not enjoy the quality of life that I have had?’ Money is only one serious consideration. If there is not enough of it it will be extremely difficult to provide opportunities for a child in a future world. There are other considerations such as emotional and psychological factors. Most women have a marvelous ability to separate the mind and the body and to think rationally beyond their passions. This is an attribute that should be exercised when considering this question. If there are rational reasons for believing that a good quality of life can be provided for a baby then a woman can yield to the forces within her that are compelling and satisfying.
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