The first part of my book Lean Out is all about how the current “lean in”, hustle culture has significant costs for women professionals. Chapter 3 is all about the cost no one talks about.
So much so, that I pitched and gave a talk about this topic at a very large physician conference a couple years back. I was so excited about this talk – knew the research right and left and had impactful stories to share… yet hardly anyone watched the talk. I can only hope it’s helping people when they purchase the recordings as a course.
It’s such a difficult issue rife with stigma and shame.
The cost I’m referring to is infertility.
Infertility is more common than you realize, and it’s also surprisingly common in the world of professional women. Some studies show infertility rates for doctors and lawyers that are double the general population. I’ve written about this subject on the blog before and in other places. You can find links to all those resources here.
Even if you’re not interested in being a parent, or you’re done having your babies, infertility will affect you because it will affect someone you know, someone you love, or someone you work with. It’s a workplace wellness issue we all need to be aware of.
At the end of this chapter, you’ll also hear the story of Shilpa, who was also interviewed for the Lean Out Podcast here. I hope you find the chapter informative!
Lean Out Podcast: Retreat with Stacey Funt