The Parenthood Question

Independent Premium Events: The Virtual Series,brought to you by The Independent, is a programme aimed to spark discussion, debate, and enjoyment across a range of topics from travel to UK and foreign affairs. Listen to the unique insight of Independent journalists as well as have your questions answered live.

The Independent

Exploring the pressures of fertility and the notion of the “ticking biological clock”

To be or not to be… a parent.For people deciding whether to start a family, there are all sorts of things to consider.When women in particular approach “the big 3-0”, people often think it’s OK to ask when they're going to start having babies.For women, and less-so for men, there is the question of fertility and the notion of the “ticking biological clock”. Couples may find as soon as they seem to be committed or married, the next question is: “When are you having kids?”, as The Independent’s Lifestyle editor Harriet Hall explores in a recent piece where she took a so-called ‘Fertility MOT’.Women over 35 are referred to as “geriatric mothers” and may face a decline in fertility towards and beyond 40. For same-sex couples, or people who want to have babies on their own, they face the huge costs of IVF or finding a suitable co-parent or surrogate.Some people are childless by circumstance - be it infertility, not meeting the right partner or for financial reasons. And some people are childless by choice.When it comes to costs, parents-to-be face the rising costs of living, including the soaring price of childcare.It’s a vast topic. One that we are going to attempt to explore in a free virtual event: The Parenthood Question.Join host Harriet Hall with an expert panel including The Independent’s Women’s Correspondent Maya Oppenheim, Professor Pragya Agarwal, Behavioural and Data Scientist and author of books including (M)otherhood, Professor Joyce Harper, author of Your Fertile Years and mother of three IVF children, Yvonne John, author and Gateway Women facilitator for the involuntarily childless and Caspar Salmon, co-parent, author and podcaster.This free virtual event will take place on 23 March at 6.30pm and will last one hour.Running time: 60 minutesAfter registering, you will receive a unique link 48 hours in advance to access the event online. This event will be hosted using Zoom. Please refer to their privacy policy before registering.If you are no longer able to join this event at the time of streaming, please let us know or <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/mytickets">cancel your ticket here</a>.This event will be available to <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/virtual-events" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">watch on demand </a>in the days following via our events page.FAQsHow do I download Zoom? Before the event takes place, please ensure you have downloaded Zoom onto your desktop or mobile device. You will also need to register for an account with Zoom. Once you have done this, you will be ready to access the virtual event. Desktop/laptop:If you are using a desktop computer/laptop, <a href="https://zoom.us/download" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">click here</a> to download Zoom: https://zoom.us/download. The download should pop up automatically, and you will need to click ‘Continue’ on each stage of the installation to ensure Zoom downloads successfully to your device. Mobile:If you are using your mobile device to access the event, visit the App Store or Google Play Store, search for Zoom and tap ‘Get’ to install the app. The app is free to download. How do I access the event? Once you have downloaded Zoom and created an account, you will be able to access the virtual event by clicking on a link we will send you 48 hours before the event starts. Simply click on the link to open Zoom and join. How do I submit questions to the panel? You will be able to ask questions to the panel during the event. To do this, in Zoom simply click the Q&A box at the bottom of your screen and type your question. Please note, if your question is answered by the panel or host, your name will be read out. How can I contact the organiser with any questions?If you have any questions about the event please contact our Customer Services team by emailing customerservices@independent.co.uk, or calling 020 3615 2990. Our phone lines are open Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm. Can I update my registration information?Yes. If you need to make any updates to your registration information simply log in to your Eventbrite account and save any changes.

Our {communityGuidelinesLink} describe the sort of content we prohibit on Eventbrite. If you suspect an event may be in violation, you can report it to us so we can investigate.

To report other categories of prohibited or illegal content, submit {link}

The Parenthood Question

More events from The Independent

Discover more events from The Independent, from Health to other experiences you might love.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all online events to browse and filter by date, category, and more.

The Parenthood Question

More events from The Independent

Discover more events from The Independent, from Health to other experiences you might love.

More Health events

Browse more Health events with different dates, prices, and formats to find your next great experience.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all online events to browse and filter by date, category, and more.