Here's What One Out Of Three Women Wish They Discussed With Their Partner Before Getting Engaged

You might want to have this talk before you accept that ring

by Christina Oehler
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Christina Oehler is a New York based writer and editor.
Updated 03/01/18

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By the time you're ready to accept a proposal, you're pretty confident you know just about everything you need to know about your partner. You guys have been dating for a while and maybe have even lived together, so you know you're ready to settle down when it comes time for the big question. But there's a lot more that goes into a marriage than just compatibility: you and your partner need to discuss finances, your living situation, and maybe the biggest subject of all—whether or not you want to have children.

Women's health company Celmatix just released the the results of a survey that asked over 500 engaged and married women about their attitudes towards work and fertility when it comes to settling down. The survey comes along with the company's #SaytheFword campaign that aims to destroy the stigma around talking about fertility with your loved ones. Celmatix found that 12 percent of the women said they are unsure about having children, 10 percent said they didn’t want children, and 16 percent of engaged and newly married women reported they are trying to get pregnant.

The survey also found that:

  • 15 percent have never discussed the costs associated with raising children.

15 percent never discuss birth control use with their partners at all.

  • 5 percent ultimately leave the choice of birth control up to their partners.
  • 85 percent say they have discussed the financial implications of having children.
  • 97 percent of couples agree on their future family.
  • 40 percent did not speak with their partners about the possibility of fertility issues before getting married.
  • 23 percent reported to be not working (even though the U.S. unemployment rate is at 4.1 percent).

    • In addition, one-third of engaged or married women wished they had spoken to their partner about finances relating to family planning and fertility treatments before they got engaged, and only 36 percent of couples have ever talked about the financial implications of fertility treatments.

    Luckily, Brides has come up with a guide to help you navigate these tricky conversations with your partner. Because remember, you are spending the rest of your life with this person, after all!

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