WHAT A TIME TO BE A WOMEN! #virginbirths

Never has there been a better time to be a women. In an era where feminism is the new black and sexism is like velour tracksuits (cheap, nasty and best left in the past). An era where men are famously being sacked for their old-fashioned, sexist remarks (close the door behind you, Andy Keys). We truly can have it all: an education; a career; financial independence, and now a baby -- no man necessary, thank you very much.

New figures have revealed that at least (AT LEAST!) 25 virgin, heterosexual women have given birth in the last 25 years. Sadly, this is not a Devine gift, God has not blessed us with 25 of his own flesh and blood. Keep calm, this is not the second coming. These women have conceived thanks to IVF (In Vitro Fertilization, FYI).

The National Institute for Healthcare and Care Excellence (or NICE) say IVF is the next step for the parent(s) after “12 unsuccessful cycles of artificial insemination”; to those who have tried and failed for two years to conceive through sexual intercourse, or to women who are ready to enter motherhood and don’t have time to waste waiting around for Mr Right.

Care Fertility and the Assisted Reproduction and Gynaecology Centre are among the four British firms who have assisted with the IVF treatment for these 21st century women – which, unsurprisingly has not been without criticism from religious groups.

The head of Britain’s Islamic Sharia society told The Mail Online the IVF doctors were “acting like God.” And the Bishop of Carlisle James Newcomer said the virgin births could have “implications for society that would not be helpful.”

It certainly does raise a moral conundrum – does being raised by a single parent affect a child’s development? Over a quarter (26%) of families are now headed by a lone parent. A study carried out by the charity Gingerbread, as part of it’s Paying The Price project, found that 67% of lone parent families are constantly struggling to make ends meet, one in 10 are not coping at all. This said, just over half (or 59% if we’re going to be pedantic) of single parent families are in employment, although the employment of single mothers is still significantly lower than the 71% of mothers in couples who are in employment.

We live in an ever-evolving society and the question we should be asking is not ‘can these women cope?’ but ‘HOW can we help these 21st century women cope?” We harp on all the time about life being too short (kindly stop clogging up my Twitter and Instagram feeds with this redundant statement) so if a women’s wants to put her on bun in the oven, good for her! Let’s help her by being brilliant friends, aunties, sisters and mothers. *ALL THE WOMEN WHO INDEPENDENT/THROW YOUR HANDS UP AT ME*

#virginbirthsfeminismbeyonceindependantivf